The foreign ministry summoned Myanmar Ambassador Lwin Oo on Saturday to protest what officials call Naypyidaw's 'misrepresentation' of Bangladesh on its map, report agencies.
Myanmar has come up with another false claim showing Bangladesh's St Martin's Island as part of their territory prompting Dhaka to react sharply and lodge a strong protest officially against the 'deliberate' attempt.
The government on Saturday summoned Myanmar Ambassador in Dhaka U Lwin Oo and strongly protested the matter.
Maritime Affairs Unit Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry Rear Admiral (retd) M Khurshed Alam summoned the Myanmar envoy to his office Saturday afternoon and handed over a strongly-worded protest note to him.
Myanmar Ambassador Lwin acknowledged the matter saying that it was a 'mistake' to show the St. Martin's Island as part of their own territory, a diplomat said.
Another official said that Myanmar had updated its map on the official website of the Department of Population, dop.gov.mm, and another website, themimu.info, in a way that shows that the Saint Martin's Island is part of its territory.
They used similar colour for both Myanmar and the Saint Martin's Island. Bangladesh has been shown by using black colour.
Clicking the Saint Martin's Island, one can get the detailed information about the population of that area. Nothing can be seen on the Bangladesh map.
The official said, the island was never a part of Myanmar if anyone looks back at the history since 1937.
It was part of British-India when Myanmar got separated back in 1937, an official told the news agency adding that this means it was then part of India.
And in 1947, the official said, it was part of Pakistan and after the Liberation War the Island became part of independent Bangladesh.
In 1974, it was clearly stated through a signed agreement that the island is part of Bangladesh.
"Even when Bangladesh won the maritime boundary dispute against Myanmar through International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in March 2017, it was clearly mentioned that the island is part of Bangladesh," the official said.
He went on saying, "How could they (Myanmar) claim St. Martin's Island as part of their territory? It's a deliberate attempt (on their part)."
A diplomatic source said Secretary Khurshed Alam had nearly an hour's meeting with the Myanmar envoy and protested the matter by handing over relevant documents.
He reportedly asked the envoy why the Myanmar side carried out survey in St. Martin's Island. "You can't do it. On what basis you did it?" Khurshed Alam was quoted as telling the Myanmar envoy.
