PM ridicules BNP’s remarks over maritime verdict

UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday dismissed the existence of the much-talked-about Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal and criticised the remarks of an ex-BNP minister over Talpatty saying that it was done to undermine the government’s success in the recent maritime victory over India.
“A former BNP minister has said Bangladesh did not get Talpatty Island. I think he should be sent to the Bay of Bengal to find out where the island is?” she said without mentioning the BNP leader’s name.
The Prime Minister was addressing the officials of
Women and Children Affairs Ministry during her first visit to the ministry here in the morning after assuming office for the second consecutive term.
Hasina said, “In fact, there is no existence of the island now, but ill- efforts are being made to undermine the government’s success in the maritime victory as they (BNP) could not highlight the government’s achievements. BNP was in power for five years, but it did not perform its responsibility properly to this end.”
The Prime Minister also expressed her doubt whether Bangladesh could have brought success in the maritime boundary from India had Awami League not won the January 5 election.
Terming the maritime victory against India and Myanmar a big achievement of the Awami League government, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her determination to properly utilise the resources earned through these wins.
State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki spoke on the occasion.
PM’s Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikdar, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Tariqul Islam and PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury and high officials of the ministry were present.
Earlier on Wednesday at a function, Sheikh Hasina said with the maritime boundary verdict with India, Bangladesh has been able to gain its just rights from India and hoped to properly utilise the gained marine resources for the betterment of the country’s people.
Bangladesh has gained some 19,467 square kilometers of maritime areas at the Bay of Bengal out of the disputed approximately 25,602 square kilometers with neighbouring India, raising the prospect of exploring huge maritime resources.
With this verdict, Bangladesh has won more than 118,813 square kilometers of waters comprising territorial sea, exclusive economic zone extending out to 200 NM across sizable area, and also have ‘undeniable’ sovereign rights in the seabed extending as far as 354 NM from Chittagong coast in the Bay of Bengal with all the living and non-living resources.
The award by the arbitral tribunal, which cannot be appealed, is binding on both states.
It brings to an end in the arbitral process that was commenced by Bangladesh in respect of Myanmar and India under the UNCLOS in 2009.