BD eyes 25,000 sq km in Bay

Bangladesh expects to have control over nearly 25,000 square kilometres of maritime areas if it wins the case related to the Bay of Bengal maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and India, reports UNB.

"We'll be able to know exactly how much area we'll get once the final verdict comes out…we're expecting that it'll be within 25,000 square kilometres," state minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam told Parliament Wednesday.

He came up with the expectation while responding to a supplementary question from Habibur Rahman Mollah (Dhaka-5) in the House.

Shahriar Alam said the verdict of the maritime dispute between Bangladesh and India is expected to be delivered in June this year.  "Through this (verdict), a proper and peaceful solution to the maritime case will be possible."

He said the hearing of the case had been held at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Netherlands from December 9-18, 2013 where former Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni and a team of lawyers appointed by Bangladesh took part in the hearing.