FE Report

Senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain Monday alleged India and Myanmar are trespassing into the country's territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal because of the government's subservient foreign policy.

"The government has failed to effectively stop them from grabbing our portion of the sea," Dr Mosharraf, a standing committee member of the main opposition party, told reporters at a Meet the Reporters organised by Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) at its office in the capital.

His comment came after Bangladesh took an unprecedented move to seek United Nations arbitration to demarcate its maritime boundary with the two neighbours.

Both India and Myanmar have claimed that Dhaka's maritime boundary overlapped theirs and have protested Bangladesh's move to explore gas in the disputed offshore hydrocarbon blocks.

Dr Mosharraf said India and Myanmar are trying to grab the areas in the Bay, which fall within the maritime boundary of Bangladesh.

"The process to grab Bangladesh's maritime areas is going on due to weak-knee foreign policy of the government," said the former energy minister.

He said the country needs concrete information to get back its real share of the Bay, as the country has failed to conduct any study on the 'continental shelf' of the sea.

"An inter-ministerial committee was formed during our rule in 1990s and the Navy was given responsibility to complete a study. A tender was also floated to this effect, but the process did not proceed as expected."

On the oil and gas exploration agreements with foreign companies, the former minister said: "The immediate past caretaker government walked a long way to sign the agreement. The present government is just going to sign it."

He said the exploration company would not be able to export gas or oil under any circumstances under the Petroleum Policy of 1993.

"But the caretaker government brought changes to the rules and kept the export option open. This government is only maintaining continuity," he said adding that production-sharing contracts cannot be signed by keeping export option open.

The former minister said the BNP also wants the country to be linked with the Asian Highway, but the proposed routes included in the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) proposal would give India a corridor.

"The route AH-41 (Mongla-Khulna-Jessore-Pakshi-Hatikumrul-Dhaka-Kanchpur-Comilla-Chittagong-Cox's Bazar-Teknaf) is the best for Bangladesh as the route would connect Bangladesh not only with Myanmar, but also with China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia."

"If the highway is set up on the basis of Route AH-1 or Route AH-2, then we have to drive extra 1,400 miles to reach Myanmar. These two routes will only connect northern India with eastern India."

"Besides, rebel groups active in eastern India may pose security threats to Bangladesh."

Mr Mosharraf said Bangladesh would be negatively affected if India constructs the Tipaimukh Dam.

"The Farakka Barrage is a suitable example of what we can expect from the Tipaimukh. The water flow of the Surma, Kushiara and even Meghna would deplete significantly. The environment and its surroundings would also be affected."

Mr Mosharraf hailed Awami League leader Abdul Jalil for his remark on the polls saying it proves that the election was stage-managed.

"The election was a result of an understanding between the caretaker government and its backers and the Awami League."

The BNP would only return to Parliament if the government creates the environment, he said.

The former minister hinted that BNP might wage a movement if the government failed to implement the promises it made to the people before the December elections.

DRU President Shamim Ahmed and general secretary Pathik Saha were present on the occasion.