Dhaka sticks to equitable solution

Bangladesh yesterday submitted a "counter-memorial" to the Permanent Court on Arbitration in The Hague, reiterating its demand for an equitable solution to the maritime boundary dispute with India.
In the memorial, Bangladesh said it had submitted required papers to validate its claim to territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone up to 200 nautical miles, and continental shelf up to 350NM from the baseline.
This is the final written argument from Bangladesh side that contains a reply to India's claim to settle the dispute on the basis equidistance system. India will place a reply to Bangladesh's argument sometime this year.
A foreign ministry delegation, led by its Additional Secretary Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam, submitted the counter-memorial.
After India's final submission, the court will start hearing oral arguments from lawyers of the two sides. Both Bangladesh and India approached the arbitration court in 2009 to resolve the long-running dispute over the maritime boundary in the oil- and gas-rich Bay.
However, Bangladesh and India still have kept open the option for settling the dispute through negotiations, said foreign ministry officials.
The five-member arbitration court is expected to deliver its final verdict in 2014.