Myanmar begins exploring gas in disputed Bay waters

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Myanmar Ambassador U Phae Thann Oo was called to the Foreign Ministry in the city Sunday to receive Dhaka's strong protest against the reported intrusion of Myanmar vessels in the deep-sea block 08-13, report UNB and bdnews24.com.
Foreign Secretary Towhid Hossain handed over the protest note to the ambassador, asking him to convey to his government Bangladesh's request to immediately suspend all activities within the declared maritime zones of Bangladesh in accordance with the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1974 of Bangladesh.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement, the note categorically emphasised that the Government of Bangladesh reserves the right to protect its interests and urged the Government of Myanmar to ensure the withdrawal of their marine vessels and stoppage of any exploration work until the delimitation of maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar is resolved.
The foreign secretary said: "There may be this sort of incidents between neighbours. We want the dispute to be resolved through dialogue, as Bangladesh has very good relation with Myanmar."
"We have lodged a strong protest with the Government of Myanmar for entry of its vessels into territorial waters of Bangladesh," Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said.
Foreign Ministry officials said Myanmar has begun oil and gas exploration activities in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal, prompting Bangladesh Navy to send its vessels to the spot.
They said Myanmar sent vessels and equipment along with engineers few days ago to carry out the exploration works, some 60 nautical miles off Saint Martin's Island. Later, Bangladesh Navy had reached the spot and "seen off the Myanmar vessels" late Saturday, but the vessels had returned Sunday morning.
The area is claimed by both Bangladesh and Myanmar. But Myanmar has awarded a contract of exploration work to a South Korean company. The foreign ministry has strongly protested the Myanmar action and urged Yangon to remove its vessels, structures and equipment from the site until the sea border dispute is resolved, the officials added.

Nasaka kills 4 Bangladeshis

Meanwhile, UNB adds from Cox's Bazar, the Nasaka Bahini, border force of Myanmar, have killed four Bangladeshi woodcutters at Naikhongchari border.
Confirming this BDR said they have protested the killing of innocent people and demanded immediate return of the bodies.
Family sources and BDR said Nurul Kabir (32), Ahmed Sharif (22), Abdul Hakim (28) and Shamsul Alam (30) of Dailypara village in Ukhya upazila went to collect wood from Amtali on the border on Friday.