Experts for bilateral talks to settle maritime dispute

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FE Report
The government should resolve maritime dispute with India and Myanmar through bilateral talks as arbitration at the United Nations may not yield desired result, experts said Sunday.
They made the observation at a dialogue in the city more than a month after Bangladesh went to the UN to settle its long-standing rows over ownership of sea territory with the two neighbours.
Policy Research Centre, a local think-tank, organised the dialogue on 'Bangladesh's Maritime Boundary Concerns, Regional Tensions and the Myanmar Factor'.
Speakers at the dialogue said the government should have taken adequate preparation and conducted survey on maritime boundary before moving to the UN for arbitration.
"Arbitration is the last resort and we should move there after bilateral negotiations exhaust," former ambassador Rashed Ahmed Chowdhury said.
Chowdhury, the chief discussant, said the prime minister should raise the maritime row with her Indian counterpart in her first visit to the neighbouring country after coming to power in January.
"This is high opportunity for Sheikh Hasina to bring something for her countrymen through negotiations during her visit to New Delhi," the ex-envoy said.
"There are no permanent friends or enemies. But national interests are permanent," he said, stressing renewed and vigorous talks with neighbours to resolve key disputes.
Chowdhury also stressed consensus among the main political parties on key issues including the maritime row with neighbours.
"We have huge challenges ahead of us and political leaders should reach consensus on major issues. Attention of the USA and China on the Bay of Bengal is a reality and we have to manage that."
Professor Tareq Shamsur Rahman, who moderated the dialogue, said the maritime cell of the foreign ministry has not been strengthened in the last 37 years.
"Bangladesh is now paying price due to such gross negligence," he said.
The Jahangirnagar University professor said the maritime boundary may be demarcated on the basis of equality or equidistance basis. "It is major question whether national interest would be protected at the UN arbitration."
"Steps should be taken to solve other existing problems such as border disputes and Rohingya issue with Myanmar," he said.
Maimul Ahsan Khan, professor of law at Dhaka University, said international definition of equality and equidistance in maritime boundary should be redefined.
"Our position has to be strengthened otherwise we will not be able to realise our rights," he said.
Mahbubul Haque, director of Policy Research Centre, in his keynote paper said the arbitration is a lengthy process and neither India nor Myanmar has responded to the arbitration notifications.
"Previous attempts at negotiations have fallen flat. So we must be fully equipped with facts, figures and justification to ensure our claim has enough weight to carry it through and win a positive verdict from the international tribunal," he said.
Senior journalist Joglul Ahmed Chowdhury, however, defended the government's move to take the maritime boundary delimitation issue to arbitration at the UN.
"But that is not enough. We have to convince the international community that our demand is fair. National consensus is also needed," he said.
Geo-political analyst Dr Dilara Chowdhury, an ex-professor of Jahangirnagar University, said Bangladesh is to blame for deteriorating ties with Myanmar as Dhaka tends to be complacent in its dealings with Naypyidaw.
Rights activist Farida Akhter demanded amicable settlement of the Rohingya issue with Myanmar. "I know it's a political issue. But we have to see whether we are addressing the issue in a right manner."
Abu Sayed Khan, managing editor of the Shomokal, columnist Farhad Mozhar and Prof Mansur Musa, former director general of Bangla Academy, also spoke on the occasion.