Beefing up Bay security

The international courts' verdicts over disputes with India and Myaninar have made the maritime boundary crucially vital for Bangladesh, an overpopulated country with scarce resources. The Bay of Bengal has now offered new opportunities for the country to exploit hitherto unexploited resources lying in the Bay.
The country, in fact, has gained much from the verdict over the 25,602 sq km of disputed Bay area with India. Foreign firms now have lined tip since tender has been floated for exploration of Bangladesh's 10 new sea blocks for hydro-carbon. An extension of sea border means Bangladesh's chances of exploring the Bay for mineral resource have now widened. It will also enrich the fisheries sector.
The massive Bay area is now open to our fishermen. Even if two fishes are caught in every square kilometre, our fishermen will have 40,000 more fishes to sell. The verdict now allows Bangladesh to establish its sovereign rights on more than 118,813 sq kins of territorial sea, 200 nautical miles (NM) of exclusive economic zone and all kinds of living and non-living resources under the continental shelf up to 354 nautical miles from the Chittagong coast.
On the other hand, the country has a largely marshy jungle coastline of 710 km on the northern littoral of the Bay of Bengal.
Against this backdrop, the government has undertaken a Tk 3.70 billion project for safety and security of our maritime system. Under the project, seven light houses and coastal radio stations will be established through 'turn-key method' in the coastal areas. Besides, one command and control centre will be built in Dhaka to maintain 24-hour communication with the ships that will ensure maritime security and strengthen surveillance.
The successful implementation of the project will fulfil the obligations under international conventions by establishing and operating shore-based facility on maritime safety, security, surveillance, navigational aids and communication system including command and control centre.
But it is indeed distressing to see our sea guards still failing to track down boats with illegal migrants taking risky sea voyage to Malaysia and Thailand across the Bay. It is not really understandable why we still see abortive attempts of migrants making hazardous sea voyage despite the fact that our Navy fleet as well as Coast Guard is having most modern equipment to detect such illegal operation in the Bay. What can the country do if foreign trawlers sneak into our deep-sea area to catch fishes illegally?
Frequent press reports of illegal sea voyages by trawlers or pirates kidnapping our fishermen make it urgent for our maritime security guards to be
alert and efficient enough to accomplish the onerous tasks they are assigned with. This fact has to be taken note of by the higher authorities which alone can do the needful.
Kuakata in Patuakhall, Saint Martin's and Kutubdia of Cox's Bazar, Hatia (Nijhum Dwip) in Noakhali, Dhalchar (Char Fashion) in Bhola and Saran Khola (Dublar Char) in Patuakhall are major points of marine fishing. Then there are a number of rivers ad creeks inside the vast Sundarbans having huge stocks of fish.
The Bay coast is set to assume great importance after a deep seaport and other ports are built making the area a hub of sea-borne ships. The Petrobangla is set to float tenders next year to invite international oil companies for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation. Precious minerals as well as huge stocks of marine fishes abound in the Bay. That is exactly why maritime security has to be beefed up. If needed, technical assistance of the Indian Ocean Run Association (IORA) of which Bangladesh is a member, could be sought in this regard.
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