For lasting peace in the Bay of Bengal
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
It is a piece of welcome news that the tension between Dhaka and Yangon over the rights to hydrocarbon exploration blocks in the Bay of Bengal has partly eased. The South Korean rig that was engaged by Myanmar for off-shore drilling has now been withdrawn. The recent developments involving the issue have otherwise been disconcerting. The exchange of high-powered government delegations between Dhaka and Yangon and all the talks about the bright prospects of Bangladesh and Myanmar cooperation came under serious question. Thus, the report about Myanmar exploring gas in the Bay of Bengal within the territorial waters of Bangladesh caused mounting tension. It worsened further as Myanmar sent warships to support the South Korean company Daewoo's gas exploration activities in the disputed waters. Further compounding the situation was the deployment of Myanmar's border security force Nasaka in battle fatigue along the Bangladesh-Myanmar land border. Bangladesh, too, had to take counter measures in the Bay of Bengal as well as on the land to defend its maritime as well as land borders.
Meanwhile, the government of Bangladesh also continued its efforts to settle the issue through diplomatic means. Accordingly, the foreign secretary had flown to Yangon to put across Bangladesh's point of view on the issue. To all appearances, Bangladesh has been able to make the Myanmar authorities see reason and withdraw the gas drilling rig as well as its warships from the point of conflict in the Bay of Bengal, some 50 nautical miles off the Saint Martin's Islands of Bangladesh. Thus, the sun of peace appears to be finally peeping through the cloud of uncertainties created over Myanmar's move to explore hydrocarbon within the territorial waters of Bangladesh. Like the foreign adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has said peace leads to bringing benefit for every one, the people in general want to believe that, at long last, peace has been established and the divergence between Dhaka and Yangon over the latter's hydrocarbon exploration in the disputed waters has been settled. All concerned would share the hope, at this stage, that peace has really been achieved and that the controversy created in the Bay was temporary and was an upshot of sudden misunderstanding between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Obviously, such expectation is natural, given the recent history of growing relationship between the two countries. It is well-known that Bangladesh is pinning much hope on the prospect of expanded diplomatic and economic relationship with Myanmar. The talk of building a road linking Dhaka, Yangon and finally Beijing, the recent exchange visits at top diplomatic levels between the two nations, the possibilities of opening a new era of trade and economic relationship and so on, created a kind of enthusiasm among the people. Many were wont to consider it as a kind of successful diplomatic offensive on the part of Bangladesh to bring the otherwise reclusive Myanmar government into meaningful talks.
Against this backdrop, that Myanmar's unilateral move for conducting hydrocarbon exploration in the Bay of Bengal in an area claimed by Bangladesh, as its own, baffled many. Furthermore, the border security units of both the countries had to be put on alert and even their warships had to be mobilised. The saving grace is that finally diplomatic effort has removed the tension in the Bay. Without questioning the existing good neighbourly relationship between the two countries, it can be said that the sudden misunderstanding has been due to the lack of clearly defined maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar. The future move by both the countries should be directed at resolving amicably the issue about demarcation of this boundary in the light of the provisions of the relevant international laws. The sooner, the better.
Meanwhile, the government of Bangladesh also continued its efforts to settle the issue through diplomatic means. Accordingly, the foreign secretary had flown to Yangon to put across Bangladesh's point of view on the issue. To all appearances, Bangladesh has been able to make the Myanmar authorities see reason and withdraw the gas drilling rig as well as its warships from the point of conflict in the Bay of Bengal, some 50 nautical miles off the Saint Martin's Islands of Bangladesh. Thus, the sun of peace appears to be finally peeping through the cloud of uncertainties created over Myanmar's move to explore hydrocarbon within the territorial waters of Bangladesh. Like the foreign adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has said peace leads to bringing benefit for every one, the people in general want to believe that, at long last, peace has been established and the divergence between Dhaka and Yangon over the latter's hydrocarbon exploration in the disputed waters has been settled. All concerned would share the hope, at this stage, that peace has really been achieved and that the controversy created in the Bay was temporary and was an upshot of sudden misunderstanding between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Obviously, such expectation is natural, given the recent history of growing relationship between the two countries. It is well-known that Bangladesh is pinning much hope on the prospect of expanded diplomatic and economic relationship with Myanmar. The talk of building a road linking Dhaka, Yangon and finally Beijing, the recent exchange visits at top diplomatic levels between the two nations, the possibilities of opening a new era of trade and economic relationship and so on, created a kind of enthusiasm among the people. Many were wont to consider it as a kind of successful diplomatic offensive on the part of Bangladesh to bring the otherwise reclusive Myanmar government into meaningful talks.
Against this backdrop, that Myanmar's unilateral move for conducting hydrocarbon exploration in the Bay of Bengal in an area claimed by Bangladesh, as its own, baffled many. Furthermore, the border security units of both the countries had to be put on alert and even their warships had to be mobilised. The saving grace is that finally diplomatic effort has removed the tension in the Bay. Without questioning the existing good neighbourly relationship between the two countries, it can be said that the sudden misunderstanding has been due to the lack of clearly defined maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar. The future move by both the countries should be directed at resolving amicably the issue about demarcation of this boundary in the light of the provisions of the relevant international laws. The sooner, the better.