JS body recommends forming Maritime Cell to move demarcation case in UN
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Ministry Tuesday recommended immediate formation of a permanent Maritime Cell to determine Bangladesh's sea boundary with India and Myanmar- the two contending neighbours who claim some extended parts of the Bay of Bengal- taking up the disputes with the UN commission concerned, reports UNB.
A meeting of the parliamentary watchdog body, presided over by committee chairman Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, at its parliament office Sunday asked the government to accomplish all necessary initiatives 'as soon as possible', including sending proposal to the Establishment Ministry, for constituting the permanent maritime cell to determine Bangladesh's maritime boundary with the neighbouring countries.
Members of the Standing Committee Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Hasan Mahmud, Imran Ahmad, Mostafa Faruq Mohmmad, M Imaj Uddin Pramanik and Hossain Mukbul Shahriar attended the meeting.
Foreign Secretary M Mijarul Quayes and senior officials concerned were also present at the meeting.
The lawmakers recommended placing Bangladesh's demand over the extended Continental Shelf of the Bay of Bengal with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) formed under the United Nations Sea Law Convention 1982.
They advised the Foreign Ministry and authorities concerned to expedite the posting process of skilled career diplomats to countries where political personalities have been appointed as Ambassadors.
The meeting was informed that 'all processes of opening three new missions in Greece, Sudan and Sierra Leone from political and economic considerations have already been completed'.
"Besides, activities of Bangladesh mission in Iraq which were postponed have been restored and the mission in Afghanistan has been reopened," it was also informed at the meeting.
Addressing a press briefing at the Media Centre of Parliament, committee chairman Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali said: "The matter of demarcation of maritime boundary with Myanmar and India remained stalled for long-there was no attention paid to the matter."
A maritime cell was also formed and then dissolved in the past, he said, adding that there was a lack of skilled officers in this regard.
He mentioned that work has been started for forming a structure of the cell with necessary manpower.
He also informed that already a technical team of Bangladesh has gone or will go to Myanmar trying to settle the maritime-boundary issue.
The chairman said the meeting also decided to invite Honorary Consuls-General of Bangladesh to Dhaka to brief them about Bangladesh's problems, vision and so on so that they have enough information about Bangladesh as many of them did not visit this country, excepting Dhaka.
Replying to a question, he said there are about 80 Honorary Consuls-General in foreign countries representing Bangladesh.
He said they discussed progress of implementation of their recommendations given in earlier meetings to the Foreign Ministry, and they are satisfied.
He said the parliamentary standing committee recommended appointing foreign cadre officers to Labour, Economic and Commercial wings of Bangladesh foreign missions, particularly in the countries where Bangladeshi workers are facing problems, or placing under the foreign ministry the officials from other cadres appointed to those posts.
He said they also recommended steps to make Bangladesh mission offices more effective and transparent and mission offices' coordination with the Foreign Ministry and the government.
"Ambassador will be the central point of all activities in the mission and there should be chain of command," he told reporters.
The matter of increasing allowance of Ambassadors in keeping with neighbouring SAARC countries was also discussed.
A meeting of the parliamentary watchdog body, presided over by committee chairman Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, at its parliament office Sunday asked the government to accomplish all necessary initiatives 'as soon as possible', including sending proposal to the Establishment Ministry, for constituting the permanent maritime cell to determine Bangladesh's maritime boundary with the neighbouring countries.
Members of the Standing Committee Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Hasan Mahmud, Imran Ahmad, Mostafa Faruq Mohmmad, M Imaj Uddin Pramanik and Hossain Mukbul Shahriar attended the meeting.
Foreign Secretary M Mijarul Quayes and senior officials concerned were also present at the meeting.
The lawmakers recommended placing Bangladesh's demand over the extended Continental Shelf of the Bay of Bengal with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) formed under the United Nations Sea Law Convention 1982.
They advised the Foreign Ministry and authorities concerned to expedite the posting process of skilled career diplomats to countries where political personalities have been appointed as Ambassadors.
The meeting was informed that 'all processes of opening three new missions in Greece, Sudan and Sierra Leone from political and economic considerations have already been completed'.
"Besides, activities of Bangladesh mission in Iraq which were postponed have been restored and the mission in Afghanistan has been reopened," it was also informed at the meeting.
Addressing a press briefing at the Media Centre of Parliament, committee chairman Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali said: "The matter of demarcation of maritime boundary with Myanmar and India remained stalled for long-there was no attention paid to the matter."
A maritime cell was also formed and then dissolved in the past, he said, adding that there was a lack of skilled officers in this regard.
He mentioned that work has been started for forming a structure of the cell with necessary manpower.
He also informed that already a technical team of Bangladesh has gone or will go to Myanmar trying to settle the maritime-boundary issue.
The chairman said the meeting also decided to invite Honorary Consuls-General of Bangladesh to Dhaka to brief them about Bangladesh's problems, vision and so on so that they have enough information about Bangladesh as many of them did not visit this country, excepting Dhaka.
Replying to a question, he said there are about 80 Honorary Consuls-General in foreign countries representing Bangladesh.
He said they discussed progress of implementation of their recommendations given in earlier meetings to the Foreign Ministry, and they are satisfied.
He said the parliamentary standing committee recommended appointing foreign cadre officers to Labour, Economic and Commercial wings of Bangladesh foreign missions, particularly in the countries where Bangladeshi workers are facing problems, or placing under the foreign ministry the officials from other cadres appointed to those posts.
He said they also recommended steps to make Bangladesh mission offices more effective and transparent and mission offices' coordination with the Foreign Ministry and the government.
"Ambassador will be the central point of all activities in the mission and there should be chain of command," he told reporters.
The matter of increasing allowance of Ambassadors in keeping with neighbouring SAARC countries was also discussed.