PM likely to brief on maritime verdict

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will brief media persons on the verdict involving Bangladesh’s maritime boundary dispute with India. Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan mentioned it after the cabinet meet on Monday but did not say when the briefing would take place. The prime minister’s press wing however, is yet to confirm it. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali will provide details of the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) over the 25,602 sq km of disputed Bay area on July 7, said Bhuiyan. The Cabinet agreed that PCA’s verdict, which awarded Bangladesh 19,467 sq km and India the rest, should be made public through a government gazette. ‘I’ll not say any more on this now,’ he said. ‘The prime minister will probably hold a separate press briefing and if she does, she’ll give you all the details.’ Bhuiyan said the cabinet has adopted a motion of felicitation because the verdict ‘went in Bangladesh’s favour’, according to bdnews24.com.