Maritime verdict reflected India’s wish: BNP
BNP today said the verdict over the disputed maritime boundary was the reflection of the wish of India as Bangladesh has “lost its rights” on around 6,000 sq km area.
BNP Vice-chairman Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed came up with the statement in a formal reaction at a press conference at the party chief’s Gulshan office.
Flanked by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s foreign affairs advisers Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Reaz Rahman, Hafizuddin, also a former water resources minister, said the Bangladesh legal team could not properly argue on the country’s demand before the international tribunal which delivered the verdict on Monday.
“Bangladesh has been deprived of its just right of sea areas as skilled and experienced persons were not included in our legal team. We could do better if Bangladesh had appointed legal experts like Dr Kamal Hossain.”
The BNP leader said: “The 25,000 sq km maritime area is not a disputed territory rather it is the area of Bangladesh. But Bangladesh has been affected by the verdict as the country has lost its rights over 6,000 sq km area to India.”
He said Indian judge P S Rao was appointed in the tribunal on behalf of India whereas a judge of Ghana was appointed on behalf of Bangladesh.
“The Indian judge gave some notes of dissent in the tribunal whereas judge in favour of Bangladesh did not give any note of dissent upholding the Bangladesh’s interest,” he said.
The international arbitral tribunal in a landmark judgment on July 8 rejected India's maritime claim and upheld Bangladesh's claim of 200 nautical miles' exclusive economic zone and territorial rights in the Bay of Bengal, hailed by different quarters.
The tribunal awarded Bangladesh 19,467 sq km area out of the disputed 25,602 sq km.
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