BD waters no more 'high risk' area
Monday, 2 January 2012
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has brought a major amendment to its official website that warns the mariners on piracy and removed the name of Bangladesh from the 'high risk' area, reports UNB.
For more than 20 years, IMB has shown Bangladesh as a 'high-risk' area for piracy on its website although according to the definitions of the crime provided for in the international legal instruments, there has been not a single case of piracy in the waters of Bangladesh.
The Foreign Ministry brought the matter into the notice of the organisation through a protest letter issued on December 20 last year.
Bangladesh categorically stated that, as per relevant international law, the incidents which are reported to IMB by the mariners are mostly 'petty thefts' or 'robbery' and, under no circumstances, they could be termed as 'piracy', since they take place well within 200 nautical miles (NM) from the coast of Bangladesh.
The Foreign Ministry also mentioned with sufficient evidence that, most of the incidents reported to IMB by the mariners are either false or exaggerated accounts of thefts. IMB on the basis of those reports labeled Bangladesh as a piracy-prone country.
Upon receipt of the letter of the Foreign Ministry, IMB has taken the matter seriously and, after primary investigations, made amendments to their website.
For more than 20 years, IMB has shown Bangladesh as a 'high-risk' area for piracy on its website although according to the definitions of the crime provided for in the international legal instruments, there has been not a single case of piracy in the waters of Bangladesh.
The Foreign Ministry brought the matter into the notice of the organisation through a protest letter issued on December 20 last year.
Bangladesh categorically stated that, as per relevant international law, the incidents which are reported to IMB by the mariners are mostly 'petty thefts' or 'robbery' and, under no circumstances, they could be termed as 'piracy', since they take place well within 200 nautical miles (NM) from the coast of Bangladesh.
The Foreign Ministry also mentioned with sufficient evidence that, most of the incidents reported to IMB by the mariners are either false or exaggerated accounts of thefts. IMB on the basis of those reports labeled Bangladesh as a piracy-prone country.
Upon receipt of the letter of the Foreign Ministry, IMB has taken the matter seriously and, after primary investigations, made amendments to their website.