Showing posts with label BANGLADESH. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BANGLADESH. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Dhaka to take its maritime boundary row with India and Myanmar to UN
http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-36717.html
Dhaka, May 12 : Bangladesh is preparing to take to the UN its maritime boundary row with India and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal.
"We are making preparations to put forward our objection at the UN by June to Myanmar's claim and by November to India's claim in the Bay of Bengal," an official told New Age newspaper Monday.
Bangladesh is preparing its case for extraction of marine resources, especially gas exploration, in the upper reaches of Bay of Bengal but has not been able to invite tenders for block bidding as its maritime boundary has not been demarcated as yet.
Myanmar has submitted its claim on maritime delimitation to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, a UN body, to deal with the law of the sea last December while India is set to submit its claim Tuesday.
According to the UN Convention on Law of the Sea, Bangladesh must demarcate its sea boundaries by July 27, 2011, India by June 29, 2009 and Myanmar by May 21, 2009.
Retired commodore Khorshed Alam, an additional secretary at the foreign ministry, told New Age that according to the UN provision, claims submitted by any country would not be taken for final consideration before settling the objection raised by a neighbouring country which might have overlapping claims.
The former navy official said that Bangladesh was well prepared to lay its claims at the UN before the deadline.
Dhaka resumed negotiations on the issue with India and Myanmar last year after a lapse of almost three decades. It proved to be a non-starter with each side sticking to its position.
Bangladesh opted to go for the negotiations as India and Myanmar recently opposed its offshore block bidding for exploration of oil and gas even within its territorial waters as Dhaka did not have an internationally accepted exclusive economic zone.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Bangladesh to Develop Nuclear Power
http://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/bangladesh-to-develop-nuclear-power/
2009 March 31
tags: Human Rights, world focus on Burma, Junta, Burmaby peacerunningDhaka: Bangladesh is keen to set up a nuclear power plant in the next decade with a 1,000 MW capacity with potential help from Russia, in order fulfill the demand for power in the country.
According to official sources, the power plant will be set up at Rooppur, which was previously set up by the then East Pakistan government for the same purposes.
Bangladesh recently received three initial proposals to set up the nuclear power plant from three countries - China, Russia, and South Korea - but Russia is at the top of the list and is eager to move ahead with the project under a bilateral agreement.
A Russian technical expert team arrived on Sunday in Bangladesh on a three-day visit to discuss the proposed power plant project with Bangladesh authorities.
Prior to the team’s visit, the Russian ambassador met with Bangladesh’s state minister for science and ICT, Mr. Yeafesh Osman, to discuss issues related to the project.
However, Bangladesh may face big challenges in mobilizing funds for the project due to the current global financial crisis. The project is likely to cost US $1.2 to $1.5 billion and take up to ten years to complete.
The nuclear power plant project was initiated in Bangladesh during the previous BNP government and the caretaker government that followed expedited the process to obtain a clearance certificate from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
According to sources, the Bangladesh caretaker government received technical and financial support from the IAEA to develop a site suitable for the plant, with the IAEA providing $366,000 for the site in Rooppur.
Bangladesh has also requested the IAEA to provide technical support to create a trained and skilled workforce for the project, the government source said.
Narinjara news
Friday, March 20, 2009
Burma to Fence Border with Bangladesh
http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=2088
Maungdaw: The Burmese military government is now preparing to fence its border with Bangladesh to prevent human trafficking between the two countries, said an official from Maungdaw on the condition of anonymity.
"Many soldiers arrived in northern Maungdaw bringing a lot of barbed wire fence to the western Burmese border with Bangladesh. I think the project will be implemented very soon," the official said.
Over 200 soldiers arrived at Kyin Chaung Village in northern Maungdaw Township to implement the project. At the same time, a large amount of barbed wire has been transported to Maungdaw from Sittwe on cargo ships to use in the construction of the fence.
A townsperson from Maungdaw said, "I saw much barbed wire piled up at the Kyin Gan Byin Jetty in Maungdaw that was brought there by four cargo ships. Large amounts of barbed wire is being transported to Maungdaw by cargo ships."
The barbed wire has been transported and distributed from the jetty to Nasaka Areas 1 and 2, which are very close to Bangladesh in the north of Maungdaw.
"Our government will fence its lands from Maungdaw Township to Paletwa township near the triangle area among Burma, Bangladesh, and India," the official said.
Even though the Burmese military government is preparing to fence its border with barbed wire to prevent human trafficking, the authorities have yet to officially make any announcements about the project.
Many people are traveling across the Burma - Bangladesh border without permission, and the Burmese authorities intend to curb such unauthorized movements with the barbed wire fence on the border.
Bangladesh-Myanmar Border Tense Over Fencing
http://news.ino.com/headlines/?newsid=31820090211
(RTTNews) - Tension along the 200-km. Bangladesh-Myanmar border has risen after Yangon reportedly mobilized extra troops, and started erecting a barbed-wire fence on the frontline, media say.
Myanmar's move has forced authorities in Dhaka to ask its Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) paramilitary border guard force to stay alert on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, as reports said panic had gripped frontier villages.
The border tensions came soon after a stand-off between the maritime forces of the two countries in the Bay of Bengal a few months ago over the exploration of offshore oil.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni merely said:"I do not like to voice any opinion now. We will firm up our stance after considering the situation."
However, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, acknowledged that Myanmar had pushed reinforcements of its paramilitary forces across the river Naaf, and started the construction of infrastructure for them near the frontier, but Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain said that Bangladesh had no problem if Myanmar erected a fence on its side of the territory.
For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com
Copyright(c) 2009 RTTNews.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved
More troops for Myanmar border
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=279388&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24
Bangladesh has deployed more troopers of its border guards after Myanmar moved men and material for erecting a barbed wire fence along a 200km border between the two countries.
The move indicates fresh tension after the stand-off in the Bay of Bengal between the two neighbours in November last year, New Age newspaper said yesterday.
Dhaka has made diplomatic moves and has refrained from saying anything provocative.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni refused to comment. “I do not like to voice any opinion now. We will firm up our stance after considering the situation,” she told the media on Tuesday.
Foreign secretary Mohammed Touhid Hossain and home secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told New Age that they had not received any information about Myanmar’s move to erect a fence along the border.
Home secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder said that the Bangladesh Coast Guard and the deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar in south-eastern region had told him that a fresh contingent of troops had been mobilised across the Naaf river that forms the international border at some points.
Myanmar was starting construction of infrastructure for them, not erecting a fence, the official said. IANS
Friday, February 27, 2009
Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime dispute
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/02/27/news0879.htm
Mungpi
Burma's military generals in a secret meeting warned commanders and officers to beware of Bangladesh in the wake of a maritime dispute between the two countries in November.
Maj-Gen Soe Win, commander of the Northern Military Command, during a meeting held recently said that Burma considers Bangladesh a hostile neighbour, and warned commanders and officers to keep an eye on Bangladesh's military movements.
The minutes of the meeting held in Naypyitaw, a copy of which is in Mizzima's possession, said while Burma was exploring for gas in its territorial waters and in its economic zone, Bangladesh had strongly opposed the activity that led Burma to withdraw.
"In other words," Soe Win said, "Bangladesh is provoking us." Soe Win also accused the United States, which has imposed financial sanctions on the generals, of backing and inciting Bangladesh to oppose the exploration.
Besides, Soe Win, voicing the general's paranoia, said the army has received information of movements of US Navy fleets using Thai and Bangladesh waters as a base.
"Therefore, all must understand that there is a likelihood of foreign invasion and we must carefully observe military movements," Soe Win added.
During the meeting, attended by several field officers and commanders, Soe Win reminded them of the need to maintain vigilance along the border areas as a preparation for any possible intrusion from foreign countries.
Though there seems to be no other verification for Soe Win's fears, the Generals, however, are reportedly intensifying military presence in Arakan state, which borders Bangladesh.
According to a Bangladesh-Burma border based Burmese journalist, the junta is stepping up its military presence, particularly the artillery battalion in the border township of Maungdaw in Burma's western Arakan state.
"The junta is shifting several of its battalions to a new military base in Maungdaw. Particularly the artillery battalion," the journalist, who requested not to be named, told Mizzima.
The journalist, citing local sources in the area said the Burmese Army is being stationed in a long stretch of valley behind the cover of mountains to conceal their presence.
"It looks to me that the army is preparing for an impending war or some kind of conflict. But we don't know against whom," he added.
Similarly, an Editor of the Dhaka based Burmese News Agency Narinjara told Mizzima that in recent months, at least 13 battalions of the Burmese Army have moved up to northern Arakan state in Maungdaw Township.
"We also can confirmed that the army is building an airbase in Maungdaw Township," Narinjara's editor Khaing Mrat Kyaw said.
He added that Burma's military leaders including Vice Snr. Gen. Maung Aye, the junta's second strongman, and Prime Minister Thein Sein have paid visits to Arakan state in recent weeks to check on the progress.
"Obviously it is some kind of preparation. And I think the junta wants to make a come back in the Bay of Bengal to continue the gas exploration," Khaing Mrat Kyaw said.
"They seem to be really sore with Bangladesh over the last dispute," Khaing Mrat Kyaw remarked.
In early November, Bangladesh and Burma had a face off, when Bangladesh objected to the exploration work of a South Korean company Daewoo, which was accompanied by Burmese naval vessels in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh said the block in which the Burmese vessel and Daewoo were test drilling comes under its maritime boundary and immediately sent two Navy vessels to the spot.
Burmese generals, though saying that the area belongs to the Burmese economic zone, later moved out of the area.
During the stand off Bangladesh deployed two naval vessels in the Bay of Bengal and reinforced its border security, but Burma was unable to bring in timely reinforcements, Khaing Mrat Kyaw said.
"I think that's why they are now building their bases and even constructing roads and railways, so that they can move their army anytime quickly," Khaing Mrat Kyaw observed.
(Source: Agencies)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tri Nation Gas Pipeline: Untold Story
http://www.energybangla.com/index.php?mod=article&cat=SomethingtoSay&article=1517
Engr. Khondkar Abdus Saleque*
Sunday, 02.15.2009, 08:16pm (GMT)
Cross border energy trading is a well-practiced phenomenon. Countries of many regions of the world share their national resources – natural gas, oil and power through inter country pipelines or power transmission grid. These are now a days treated as tradable commodity in international trade. Canada–US Alliance pipeline, Mexico-US Pipeline, West European Gas and power grid, Bolivia - Brazil Pipeline. Trans Siberian Natural Gas Pipeline from Russia to western Europe, Transmission Pipeline from Netherlands to Belgium–France–Germany, Malaysia- Singapore Gas and Power lines, Malaysia – Indonesia pipeline. Myanmar- Thailand pipeline are some examples. But very intelligent people of SAARC region could not have any inter country or multination energy grid for variety of reasons ranging from lack of political commitment to lack of mutual trust and respect. People talk about Iran –Pakistan –India pipeline, Turkmenistan –Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline, Myanmar-Bangladesh-India pipeline. But none of this has taken shape till now.
Let us talk about Myanmar-Bangladesh –India Tri-nation Gas Pipeline.
Background:
The growing energy needs of India prompted it to explore newer sources of supply. It looked at various options
Controversial agreement with USA to setup several nuclear power plants.
Long Distance Gas transmission Pipeline from Iran to India through Pakistan (IPI)
Gas Pipeline from Qatar to India
Gas Pipeline from Turkmenistan- Afghanistan- Pakistan- India
Gas Pipeline from Myanmar to India across Bangladesh
Considering the huge demand of energy to fuel massive GDP growth about 8% for a population of more than billion India requires access to massive and manifold energy resource. Of the above options only the nuclear power initiative partnering USA achieved some milestones. The other options are almost abandoned. It is highly unlikely that any pipeline to India through Pakistan territory will take off in near future. These make the last one the gas pipeline from Myanmar to India across Bangladesh a stronger possibility as Bangladesh also is suffering from serious gas crisis and in the recent past approached Myanmar to explore possibility of pipeline import of gas for Chittagong region. Bangladesh even expressed eagerness to set up a fertilizer plant in Chittagong utilizing Myanmar gas and export fertilizer to Myanmar.
Bangladesh, India and Myanmar are locked in dispute over Maritime boundary disputes and all of them are approaching UN for resolving the disputes. In recent times there had been few rounds of bilateral discussions without any meaningful outcome. Countries are preparing their individual cases to present to UN. In this scenario it is considered pertinent to have a fresh look at the prospect of Tri Nation pipeline. The author was one of the two-member Bangladesh Technical delegations to negotiate the various aspects of pipeline in a meeting held in Yangoon in February 2005.
The tri-nation pipeline project was initiated by a Bangladeshi private company, the Mohona Holdings Limited way back in 1997. The pipeline was to run through Arakan State in Myanmar and the Indian states of Mizoram and Tripura before crossing Bangladesh to reach India's West Bengal capital Kolkata. The governments of India and Myanmar approved the Mohona's proposal for the cross-border pipeline. But Bangladesh did not approve it. The laying of this 900-km tri-nation pipeline was agreed to in principle by the energy ministers of the three countries in Yangon in January 2005. A tri-nation joint declaration (unsigned) was let out to media which had provision to discuss the various techno commercial aspects of the pipeline towards formulation of a draft MOU by a technical committee. It was also decided that two members of each country would meet to discuss, deliberate the issues and prepare draft MOU.
If you read Indian side of the story it will give you impression that it is Bangladesh which created impediment to make this project happen. For the sake of clarity let me quote from an Indian media report.
"In this quest of India, Myanmar has now emerged as an important partner. Huge reserves of oil and gas have been found in that country. Most importantly, India has a stake in these findings and wants to bring these resources home in a cost-effective manner. With this objective, it has been now pursuing a tri-nation pipeline project for nearly a decade. This issue has also become important as all the leading consumers of energy in world are trying to secure their supplies and the struggle to acquire stakes in overseas energy resources is intensifying."
Before we discuss the chronological development of technical committee negotiation let us try to see what the project is.
The Shwe Project
In August 2000, Daewoo International signed a production sharing contract with the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Burmese military government.
In early 2004, Daewoo announced that they had struck a "world class commercial scale gas deposit" in the A-1 block. A month later, Daewoo acquired the neighbouring A-3 block and since then a series of well have proven reserves large enough to develop.
The blocks were evaluated by a US firm, which determined the available reserves at 5.4 - 9.1 trillion cubic feet (tcf). Daewoo International has since stated that "4.5 - 7.7 tfc of gas may be commercialized from the reserves."(4)
Using the estimated sales price of US$ 4.41 per million BTU, the sale of 9.1 tfc would be worth US$ 40.1 billion.
Corporate stake holders in the Shwe fields:
Particular
Block A-1 and A-3
Daewoo International, South Korea
51%
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, ONGC Videsh, India
17.5%
Myanman Oil and Gas Enterprise, Burma
15%
Korean Gas Corporation, KOGAS, South Korea
8.5%
Gas Authority of India Limited, GAIL, India
8.5%
Corporations deal with The Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) which is 100% owned and run by the military regime. Details of oil and gas contracts in military ruled Burma are well-guarded secrets.
Daewoo International purchased exploration rights through a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with the military MOGE. In addition to the PSC fees, a standard signing bonus of undisclosed was also provided
In June 2008, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed an MOU with the Burma regime to purchase the gas and build a 1,800 Km pipeline from Kyauk Phyu in Arakan to Kunming, China. An estimated 990-Km of this pipeline would traverse Burmese soil. CNPC's subsidiary Petro China has gained the distribution rights of the gas in Yunnan province of China.
The Experience of the Author in Cross Border Energy Trading:
The author represented a high level Bangladesh delegation to USA and Canada in 2003 on a USAID sponsored trip to learn about Cross Border Energy Trading, Energy Regulation, and Large Gas Infrastructure project financing modalities. The team was led by the then Chairman Petrobangla Syed Sajedul Karim, DG Finance Ministry Dr. Saleh Ahmed and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Law & Parliamentary Affairs Mr.Shahidul Huq were other members of the team. Mr.Bruce McMullen, Senior Energy Specialist USAID Dhaka mission also accompanied us. During this trip we have extensive interactions with BERC, USDOE, USAID, World Bank, USEXIM Bank, IFC, Duke Energy, Williams Gas transmission Company one leading law a firm and one energy Accountant firm in Washington DC.USA. We also had meeting with NEB, Bank of Canada, CERI, Nova Gas and Alberta Energy Minstry in Calgary. We also visited Compressor stations and SCADA Control centre at Washington as well as Calgary. Later in several instalments the author of this wrote about the lessons learnt in the Energy & Power magazine as Bangladesh Government at that time appeared not at all interested to utilize our knowledge.
Tri Nation Pipeline Negotiation:
However possibly my earlier experience prompted Government of Khaleda Zia to nominate me to represent Bangladesh in the technical committee meeting. Originally present Director (PSC) Petrobangla Major (Retd) Muktadir Ali and MD GTCL Engr. Manjur Morshed Talukdar were nominated as Bangladesh representatives. I was asked to prepare a position paper for Bangladesh which was meticulously done within the shortest possible time. But at the very last minute composition of Bangladesh team was changed. Chairman Petrobangla S.R. Osmany and myself were nominated. I was not much willing to go as I started sensing at that time that a vested energy mafia group who always considered me as a stumbling block on their way for fee scale looting and grabbing in Gas sector was conspiring with Mr.Khondkar Shaidul Alam, Secretary to PM and Hawa bhaban to knock me out of the sector. Still call of the nation made me take up the challenge of confronting a hostile Indian delegation in the meeting. Believe me no official guidance was given to us either by minister or the secretary .So Bangladesh strategy was virtually unknown to us when we landed in Yangon via Bangkok. Mr. KB Ahmed and Major General (Rtd) Ruhul Alam Chowdhury of Mohona Holdings also travelled to Yangon in the same flight and were put up in the same hotel. The author from own knowledge prepared a Bangladesh position paper after getting some project details from KB Ahmed.
In the evening of the night preceding the commencement of the meeting concerned Myanmar General met us in the hotel and we informally discussed about some salient objectives of the meeting. Next morning after reaching the meeting we found India had brought a large team of 9 members – two senior Government officials, one lady from Indian High Commission, several senior executives of GAIL & ONGC. Our team leader logically objected as this was a clear violation of the agreement reached in the mistrial meeting of three countries which was the basis of the subject meeting. After some arguments it was decided that basically two official members would participate in the discussion. However representatives of Indian and Bangladesh High Commission may also form part of the delegation for future constitution of agreement reached and follow up actions. To tell you frankly the author was ready to take on entire Indian delegation as we were confident as far as technical matters of cross border Transmission pipeline issues were concerned we were better equipped to handle any situation.
Myanmar Delegation Chief who was also in the Chair opened discussion giving background of the project and informing the status of discussion and development. Then our team leader Chairman PB made his opening remarks. He then introduced me and asked me to present Bangladesh paper. The author made a multimedia presentation of the proposed pipeline. The concept of the pipeline its objective was discussed in brief. Then from extensive field experience of constructing cross county high pressure Pipelines in the region the author clearly sated that constructing such an important pipeline traversing through clay hills of Naga land, Mizoram, Tripura will not be feasible in the context of technical and safety issues. Clay hills once disturbed can not be properly reinstated or retaliated optimally and the pipeline becomes exposed after rain causing maintenance nightmare. Moreover the pipeline in the trouble-toned states may become easy target of Indian and Myanmar rebels. Initially Indian delegates did not agree, But the author presented personal experience of operational problems of Chittagong ring main and North –South Pipeline. Then author made an alternate proposal of routing the pipeline from Shwe gas field to Tekhnaf then proceed to Chittagong, follow Bakhrabad Chittagong and Ashuhanj- Bakhrabad, Brahmaputra Basin Pipeline, Cross Jamuna and Padma River and traverse to Kolkata entering through Darshana or Beanpole. A spur line from Tripura Gas fields could meet the pipeline at Ashuganj. A comparative analyses of costs was also produced. Indian delegation readily accepted the concept. The author then proposed that the pipeline should be open access nature with provision for injection and siphoning of gas by Bangladesh and India at designated intake and off take points along the line. These were well taken by the Indian delegation.
Indian delegation then made its presentation. General Manager (Operation) GAIL presented their case. They talked about funding for detail feasibility study, negotiation of tariff, toll, construction of the pipeline, custody transfer of gas. Indian team suggested that GAIL or ONGC might provide the initial fund. But we objected. We thought that an international consortium with representation of third party countries and financial institution should be owner and operator of the pipeline and the Bangladesh section will be operated by GTCL on behalf of the owner for a given wheeling charge. We also said that Bangladesh will be charging transit fee for every MMCFD of gas transported across to the owner of the pipeline who will but y gas from Myanmar based producer and sale to end user. Bangladesh and India will also provide wheeling charge to the owner of the pipeline for their gas to be transported for their own use. All our points were accepted after through discussions.
With technical issues discussed and agreed the post lunch session was marked for discussing other issues. In the morning while making country presentation the author briefly touched upon few issues which we considered to be resolved along side of developing the project.
These were:
India to allow Bangladesh a corridor to import Hydro electricity from Nepal and Bhutan.
India must ensure unhindered access of Nepalese and Bhutanese merchandise to travel through chicken neck to Bangladesh.
India must remove tariff and non-tariff barriers on Bangladeshi export commodities in efforts to reduce huge trade deficits.
Indian delegation reacted very sharply. Especially Monica Jain, the lady from Indian High Commission in Yangoon very strongly protested discussion of bilateral issues in a trilateral meeting. In the post lunch session our team leader tried to pacify the situation stating that Bangladesh will carry out feasibility of power import from Nepal and Bhutan. India will be obviously in the picture as the present Hydro power Generation in both the Countries are funded by India and they have long term power purchase agreement. So in the good spirit India should accept the importance of Bangladeshi point.
Regarding trade with Nepal and Bhutan our position was the Present trade route does not permit any Nepalese or Bhutanese or Bangladeshi trucks to travel through chicken neck. The commodities need to transship several times. These add costs, time and agony. Allowing trucks of Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh through Indian Territory will cost nothing to India.
Indian goods enter Bangladesh through formal and informal routes but export of Bangladeshi commodities loose competitive edge as various non-tariffs and tariff barriers are imposed. India is huge economy. Removal of tariff barriers will only help 7 sisters around Bangladesh to get more and more Bangladeshi goods at cheaper price. This will help reduce trade deficit.
Indians made their own interpretations and strongly opposed all Bangladeshi points. The meeting prorogued at this stage on the first day for continuation on the following day, which was incidentally Friday.
In the evening we got back to hotel and tried desperately to reach Bangladesh State Minster of Energy & Mineral Resources Mr A.K.M Mushrraf Hussein. It is extremely difficult to reach outside world from Junta dominated Myanmar. After great difficulty we reached the minister. We gave him a run down of day’s progress. He categorically advised not to agree on anything short of what we put across. Chairman PB asked me to prepare draft minutes, which I did.
Meeting Day Two:
The second day was incidentally Friday our Jumma prayer day. Chairman of the Meeting initiated discussion expecting that Bangladesh and India would try to bridge their difference of opinion facilitating meeting of minds of all parties by the end of the day on an agreed draft MOU. Bangladesh team leader again reiterated Bangladesh position. Getting permission from the team leader the author sated
The proposed pipeline will help Myanmar monitor its gas or in other worlds Korean, Indian and Myanmar companies will sell Gas to India. Part of India’s Gas requirement will be fulfilled. Bangladeshi farmers will have to sacrifice their land to comfort India and Myanmar. The issues Bangladesh put across to be considered concurrently will not any additional burden to India. The present attitude to India may not allow Bangladesh to proceed with this project at this stage unfortunately. Allowing corridor for a pipeline to India can not be a tri lateral issue .It is definitely a bilateral matter. On the other hand allowing unhindered trade route for Nepal and Bhutan through Indian Chicken neck is also not bilateral. If India do not consider Bangladeshi points raised as valid then the pipeline may never find route through Bangladesh.
This appeared to melt the ice. Ms Monica Jain Indian Lady from Indian High Commission then asked how these points could be articulated. Our draft MOU was ready. We proposed to read out which Myanmar Minister allowed. Our issues was articulated this way
The pipeline project to proceed will require the following bilateral; issues between India and Bangladesh to resolve through mutual discussion within an agreed timeframe.
Bangladesh will explore the possibility to import Hydroelectricity from Nepal and Bhutan through Indian Territory.
India will allow unhindered trading among Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh through Indian Territory.
India will take appropriate action to reduce trade gap between India and Bangladesh.
About an hour was lost disputing the word-agreed time frame. We had to leave the meeting for attending Jumma prayer keeping the draft MOU pending. We knew that Indian delegation was due to fly back late afternoon. So the ball was pushed on their court. After lunch team leader of three countries signed the draft MOU.
On return to Bangladesh the author wrote extensive report of the visit which Chairman Petrobangla submitted to EMRD along with the draft MOU. The complacent Bangladeshi short sighted energy management at that time did not realise why the author planned to route the pipeline through Technaf, Coxsbazar, and Chittagong. As Director (Operation) GTCL the author knew that Shangu was showing ominous sign of depletion .The Tri-nation pipeline may become a d source of gas security to Chittagong region.
Bangladeshi Energy Sector Management appeared reluctant. Indian bureaucracy was also complacent. They thought that they could put pressure on Bangladesh with a threat to bypass Bangladesh. The author lost interest and became extremely occupied in operation of National gas grid and policing national condensate Pipeline to protect it from deliberate pilferage of a politically blessed Mafia group. Could feel a conspiracy was being hatched to knock me out. Still kept working with full commitment and assist GTCL project managers in implementing few critical projects on top of assigned responsibilities. In May 2005 was invited to attend an inter ministerial meeting to discuss the Tri Nation Pipeline issues. But that meeting was suspended. After that in August 2005 Government terminated my contract on flimsy ground. Since 2005 till 2009 nothing positive has happened which could progress the tri-nation pipeline?
The typical big brotherly attitude of take all and give nothing can be assessed from the following media report. This report appeared sometime in 2005 .The author did not consider it useful to respond to this earlier as Bangladesh Government at that time was really very reluctant to let India build the pipeline. But in four years things have changed. Bangladesh itself is in deficit. The present government of Bangladesh is also pro active. It is now in better position to bargain with India.
Quote,
"Dhaka now wants India to first address issues like reduction of trade imbalance, providing a corridor for Nepalese goods to Bangladeshi ports and access to hydropower from Bhutan before moving ahead on the pipeline. India has been opposed to making bilateral issues part of a trilateral agreement. It is difficult for India to accept any of these demands, as it would mean seriously compromising with its strategic interests. Allowing Bangladesh a corridor to trade with Nepal is just not possible in present situation, as it would worsen the problem of illegal immigration and insurgency. The vulnerability of the region to foreign agencies like ISI and DGFI would increase. Allowing this facility to Bangladesh would seriously threaten the internal security of India.
Bangladesh claims that its adverse trade balance with India is due to various tariff and non-tariff barriers. But, the truth lies elsewhere. Bangladesh has a negative trade balance with most of its trading partners. This is due to a very small export basket of the country. Moreover, its infrastructure is also underdeveloped. Instead of taking steps to improve its economy, Bangladesh always expects unreasonable concessions from other countries. Recently, it urged the US to allow duty free access to Bangladeshi products. The US has also advised Bangladesh to take steps to improve its economy and infrastructure like facilities at Chittagong port. Bangladesh also wants India to allow it to access hydropower from Bhutan through Indian territory.
India on the other hand thinks that pipeline should be considered as a standalone project, and Bangladesh is adequately compensated by the $125m that will be getting as transit fee. At the same time, Bangladesh would be able to transfer gas supplies from the east to the western region of the country. Besides, Bangladesh will also benefit as the construction of pipeline would create new jobs in the country.
New Delhi is opposed to new conditions, which are completely unrelated to project. Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has noted that "under no circumstances should India accept any of the (Bangladesh's) conditions... That will encourage Dhaka to tie up unrelated conditionalities in future negotiations on other issues, as it is always prone to do. India will always consider bonafide demands from Bangladesh but they cannot start unfair bargaining."
The new conditions imposed by Bangladesh have made the future of gas pipeline completely uncertain. But a gas pipeline from Myanmar is in India’s economic and strategic interests. The economic cooperation between India and Myanmar has brought both these countries close to each other. India also needs the cooperation of Myanmar to successfully handle the insurgency problem in the northeast. A greater Indian interaction with Myanmar has reduced the influence of other powers in that country. Most importantly, Myanmar could act as a gateway for India to ASEAN countries.
The growing relationship with India is also useful for Myanmar. As the country is facing economic sanction from certain quarters, it needs economic partners. And its most easily available exportable product with great demand is the newfound gas and oil resources. Myanmar quickly wants to monetize this. India's state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has a 20 per cent stake in Myanmar's A-1 and A-3 Blocks, while GAIL has a 10 per cent stake in the two sites. The proposed pipeline was one of several options India has been considering to bring gas reserves from the Shwe Field's Block A-1 site in Myanmar.
India is now at a juncture where it has to take a decision on how it wants to transport the gas purchased from Myanmar. It is possible either through a gas pipeline or through ship in LNG form. The gas pipeline is the most cost-effective way and India has been trying for this. The shortest and convenient route of this gas pipeline passes through Bangladesh. But unfortunately, Bangladesh wants to take unreasonable advantage for allowing the gas pipeline pass through its territory.
It has forced India and Myanmar to rethink about the route of the gas pipeline. It has also forced them to explore other possible alternatives to bring gas to India. To sort out some of these problems India and Myanmar decided to hold a meeting between their energy ministers in New Delhi on July 6. Both sides have now started considering a proposal to redesign the gas pipeline so that it runs entirely through Indian Territory skipping Bangladesh altogether. According to the new plan, the pipeline coming from Myanmar will run through Mizoram and Assam before culminating in West Bengal. Its revised length would be 1400 km. After his meeting with Brigadier General Lun Thi, Minister of Energy, Myanmar, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that the techno-commercial group would examine the possibility of laying the pipeline bypassing Bangladesh and importing natural gas through ships in its liquefied (LNG) or compressed (CNG) form.
If the pipeline is constructed through Bangladesh, its length would be 900 km long and cost around Rs 4,500 crore. On the other hand, if it is laid through the Northeast bypassing Bangladesh, the pipeline will have to cover an additional 500 km. The cost would also go up by about Rs 2,500 crore.
Although laying the pipeline through Bangladesh will be cheaper, bringing it through the Indian territory also has its merit. Part of this additional cost will be offset by the transit fee that Bangladesh will charge for allowing the pipeline to pass through its territory.
If the pipeline enters India directly from Myanmar through the northeastern states, it would be a boon, as the gas produced in these states cannot be evacuated to the more lucrative markets at present. The region as well as oil exploration companies would gain from higher prices, if the gas can be evacuated. A pipeline is like a road, it benefits the entire territory that it passes through.
Since the gas from Myanmar is expected to flow over a period of 15 to 20 years or even more, the security cover of laying the pipeline entirely through the Indian Territory could well be worth the additional cost.
However, if the pipeline is laid through Bangladesh, it will be an example of regional cooperation. The success of this project might encourage the partner countries to contemplate cooperation in other areas. It may also act as a confidence-building measure between India and Bangladesh as their relationship has deteriorated in recent times. But, India should not loose too much time either in bringing Bangladesh onboard. It should make very clear to Bangladesh that it would not entertain bilateral matters when a tri-nation project is being considered for the benefit of all the involved parties.
Bangladeshs dealing with India regarding gas and its transportation through its territory has never been entirely above board. Whenever, India showed its interest to buy gas from Bangladesh, it has not been very keen to sell. In fact, due to reluctance of Bangladesh to export gas many foreign companies left the country, as the domestic market is not fully developed. The export of gas to India would have also allowed the country to tackle the adverse balance of trade."
Unquote
Now the situation as it stands now is China is potential buyer of Myanmar Gas. But many humanitarian groups are also active in Myanmar Thailand border to stop the pipeline going from Myanmar to China. The Chinese economy is also in recessation.It may not be in apposition to buy Gas at higher price. Bangladesh gas situation is also in serious crisis. A very positive Bangladesh government has taken over. The so called largest democracy India should rather try to mend fences with Bangladesh and other SAARC neighbours for peaceful coexistence abandoning its take all and give nothing attitude. If India is worried about ISI and DGFI existence in their territory the countries of the region must be doubly worried about RAW activities. If India wants gas from Myanmar at all it should come with open mind and open negotiation with Bangladesh in good neighbourly attitude respecting its sovereign equality.
The author feels Gas from Myanmar can be available for India and Bangladesh only if the political government of India and Bangladesh can resolve many other bi lateral issues with good neighborly attitude. India has to realize that people of Bangladesh have several reasons to feel sour. They should try to realize why people of Bangladesh could not trust them as reliable friend. People both countries still have high respect for each other but they blame the power hungry politicians. Can head of the government of both countries can have a summit to settle several outstanding issues- Border disputes, maritime boundary disputes, trade imbalance, transit – transshipment issues and above all water sharing issues?
* Ex Director (Operation) GTCL
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Troop Movements Reported Along Bangladesh-Burma Border
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15096
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By MIN LWIN Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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Bangladesh and Burma have reportedly deployed troops along their border and naval vessels offshore as tensions increase between the two countries over oil and gas exploration rights and the Rohingya refugees issue.
The deployments were reported by Khine Mrat Kyaw in the Bangladesh-based Narinjara news agency on Wednesday.
Khine Mrat Kyaw also reported that aircraft landing strips had been constructed in Buthidaung Township, near the border of Burma’s Arakan State and Bangladesh.
Tension first arose between the two countries in November 2008 after Burma sent naval vessels to escort a Korean company exploring for oil and gas about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Bangladesh's Saint Martin Island.
Differences have also arisen between Burma and Bangladesh over the hundreds of Rohingya refugees from Burma’s Arakan State who have taken to the Bay of Bengal in open boats in search of a new home.
Burma’s Consul General in Hong Kong, Ye Myint Aung, wrote to heads of foreign missions there and local newspapers insisting the Muslim Rohingyas should not be described as being from Burma, the South China Morning Post reported.
The agency AFP said the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday that Ye Myint Aung had described the Rohingya boat people as "ugly as ogres."
The Burmese diplomat was quoted as saying: "In reality, Rohingya are neither Myanmar people nor Myanmar's ethnic group."
The envoy contrasted the "dark brown" Rohingya complexion with the "fair and soft" skin of people from Burma, according to the newspaper.
Meanwhile, the US has assured Bangladesh of its support in patrolling its sea borders.
The assurance was given by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher at the close of a two-day visit to Bangladesh, according to the Qatar- based Gulf Times.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Bangladesh to build road, railway links with Myanmar
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/08/content_10781961.htm
www.chinaview.cn 2009-02-08 13:28:27 Print
DHAKA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's communications minister said the government will build connecting road and railway from the country's southeastern bordering part to Myanmar, leading English newspaper The Daily Star reported on Sunday.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said this on Saturday in the country's southeast Cox's Bazar district after visiting the location of the proposed China-Myanmar-Bangladesh friendship road and railway at Myanmar border close to Myanmar's Ghum Dhum town.
Hossain told reporters there his government has sent proposals to Myanmar government to this effect and is awaiting a response to start planning and other physical mobilization.
The project to build the road and railway connecting Bangladesh's Ukhia to Myanmar's Ghum Dhum point was initiated some 10 years ago, the newspaper said.
The minister said the Bangladeshi government is looking forward to opening a new horizon in the area of trade, people to people connectivity and economic development of the southeastern region that will extend up to China after the construction of the road and railway.
The country's southeast region will become a new economic zone to benefit all three countries, Hossain said.
Editor: Du Guodong
Sunday, February 8, 2009
China doesn’t want conflict between Bangladesh and Myanmar
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=14834
UNB, DhakaChina does not want to see any conflict between Bangladesh and Myanmar on the maritime issues, a visiting delegation from Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) said today.
“All kinds of debates should be solved through negotiation,” director of Department of South Asian Studies and senior fellow of SIIS Zhao Gancheng told reporters at a `Meet the Press’ programme at the Jatiya Press Club.
Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) in partnership with SIIS organised the programme. A 5-member SIIS delegation led by its president Yang Jiemian, a representative from the Chinese embassy and BIPSS president Maj Gen (rtd) ANM Muniruzzaman attended the function.
Replying to a question Zhao Gancheng said China does not see any conflict with the USA if they come to build the deep sea port in the Bay of Bengal. “China’s policy is defensive.”
He said China is keen to provide all kinds of assistance to the neighboring countries to help eradicate global terrorism and extremism and also establish social and economic security in the region.
“Now-a-days, we see the terrorism, extremism and separatism in the global arenas…No country is immune individually…,” said Yang Jiemian.
Describing China as a victim of extremism, he said China has been closely working with the neighboring countries to promote mutual understanding and bilateral relationship. “We’ve to support our neighbors.”
Yang Jiemian stressed the need for strengthening the cooperation between China and Bangladesh to promote economic, social and cultural stability in this region. “Bangladesh and China are very close cooperators and partners.”
Replying to a question, Yang said China is very glad to see the democratic rule in Bangladesh, achieved through a free and fair general election in the country. “Elections can establish stability and prosperity,” he added.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Watch out for Bangladesh and Thailand: Military commander
http://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/watch-out-for-bangladesh-and-thailand-military-commander/
January 30, 2009 · No Comments
by Mungpi
Friday, 30 January 2009 21:07
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burma’s military generals in a secret meeting warned commanders and officers to beware of Bangladesh in the wake of a maritime dispute between the two countries in November.
Maj-Gen Soe Win, commander of the Northern Military Command, during a meeting held recently said that Burma considers Bangladesh a hostile neighbour, and warned commanders and officers to keep an eye on Bangladesh’s military movements.
The minutes of the meeting held in Naypyitaw, a copy of which is in Mizzima’s possession, said while Burma was exploring for gas in its territorial waters and in its economic zone, Bangladesh had strongly opposed the activity that led Burma to withdraw.
“In other words,” Soe Win said, “Bangladesh is provoking us.” Soe Win also accused the United States, which has imposed financial sanctions on the generals, of backing and inciting Bangladesh to oppose the exploration.
Besides, Soe Win, voicing the general’s paranoia, said the army has received information of movements of US Navy fleets using Thai and Bangladesh waters as a base.
“Therefore, all must understand that there is a likelihood of foreign invasion and we must carefully observe military movements,” Soe Win added.
During the meeting, attended by several field officers and commanders, Soe Win reminded them of the need to maintain vigilance along the border areas as a preparation for any possible intrusion from foreign countries.
Though there seems to be no other verification for Soe Win’s fears, the Generals, however, are reportedly intensifying military presence in Arakan state, which borders Bangladesh.
According to a Bangladesh-Burma border based Burmese journalist, the junta is stepping up its military presence, particularly the artillery battalion in the border township of Maungdaw in Burma’s western Arakan state.
“The junta is shifting several of its battalions to a new military base in Maungdaw. Particularly the artillery battalion,” the journalist, who requested not to be named, told Mizzima.
The journalist, citing local sources in the area said the Burmese Army is being stationed in a long stretch of valley behind the cover of mountains to conceal their presence.
“It looks to me that the army is preparing for an impending war or some kind of conflict. But we don’t know against whom,” he added.
Similarly, an Editor of the Dhaka based Burmese News Agency Narinjara told Mizzima that in recent months, at least 13 battalions of the Burmese Army have moved up to northern Arakan state in Maungdaw Township.
“We also can confirmed that the army is building an airbase in Maungdaw Township,” Narinjara’s editor Khaing Mrat Kyaw said.
He added that Burma’s military leaders including Vice Snr. Gen. Maung Aye, the junta’s second strongman, and Prime Minister Thein Sein have paid visits to Arakan state in recent weeks to check on the progress.
“Obviously it is some kind of preparation. And I think the junta wants to make a come back in the Bay of Bengal to continue the gas exploration,” Khaing Mrat Kyaw said.
“They seem to be really sore with Bangladesh over the last dispute,” Khaing Mrat Kyaw remarked.
In early November, Bangladesh and Burma had a face off, when Bangladesh objected to the exploration work of a South Korean company Daewoo, which was accompanied by Burmese naval vessels in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh said the block in which the Burmese vessel and Daewoo were test drilling comes under its maritime boundary and immediately sent two Navy vessels to the spot.
Burmese generals, though saying that the area belongs to the Burmese economic zone, later moved out of the area.
During the stand off Bangladesh deployed two naval vessels in the Bay of Bengal and reinforced its border security, but Burma was unable to bring in timely reinforcements, Khaing Mrat Kyaw said.
“I think that’s why they are now building their bases and even constructing roads and railways, so that they can move their army anytime quickly,” Khaing Mrat Kyaw observed.
http://www.mizzima.com/
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Dhaka wants to demarcate maritime boundaries in Bay of Bengal
http://story.chinanationalnews.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/454323/cs/1/
China National News
Friday 16th January, 2009
(IANS)
The new Bangladesh government wants to engage neighbours India and Myanmar to demarcate maritime boundaries in the Bay of Bengal to be able to file its claim before the United Nations by 2011, a media report said Friday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who convened a meeting of energy ministry officials Thursday, said she would coordinate with the foreign office in contacting Delhi and Yangon, but did not indicate when.
She would also confer with the Bangladesh Navy and Geological Survey of Bangladesh.
Hasina's deputy press secretary Sarwar Alam said that she raised the maritime boundary issue at her first meeting with the officials and wanted to know the latest situation and what surveys the ministry had conducted to demarcate the boundary.
Energy secretary Mohammad Mohsin told the prime minister that India and Myanmar were claiming maritime areas beyond their jurisdiction and often intruded into Bangladesh's territorial waters and that the foreign ministry was handling the issue, New Age newspaper said Friday quoting sources present at the meeting.
Mohsin also informed her that Bangladesh would have to lodge its claim over the maritime boundary with the United Nations by 2011 after completing necessary surveys for strengthening the claims.
Maritime boundaries' delineation became crucial after the finding of hydrocarbon reserves in the bay by India in recent years. Dhaka thinks it has missed the bus with poor response from international oil and gas companies.
Bangladesh is sandwiched between India and Myanmar in the upper reaches of the bay and says survey ships and even naval ships of the two countries cross into what it considers to be its own territory.
There had been stand-offs with the two neighbours in the bay in recent months and the erstwhile caretaker government had deployed naval ships and applied diplomatic pressures to get the neighbours' vessels out, pending resolution of the dispute.
Dhaka did not hold talks with India on the issue after 1982 and resumed it only last year. The parleys with both Delhi and Yangon have remained preliminary with each side insisting on its own standpoint.
Monday, January 5, 2009
India’s border disputes with all her neighbors
http://rupeenews.com/2009/01/04/indias-border-disputes-with-all-her-neighbors/
Posted on January 4, 2009 by Moin Ansari
Noticia de Rupia | Nouvelles de Roupie | Rupiennachrichten | новости рупии | 卢比新闻 | Roepienieuws | Rupi Nyheter | ルピーニュース | Notizie di Rupia | PAKISTAN LEDGER | پاکستاني کھاتا | RUPEE NEWS | January 4th, 2009 | Moin Ansari | معین آنصآرّی | اخبار روپیہ |
India has been unable to resolve any problems or border disputes with any of her neighbors. She has the unique distinction of having wars with all her neighbors. Khaled Ahmed reviews the book by Gupta and Sharma.
Book review: India’s maritime troubles -by Khaled Ahmed
Contested Coastlines: Fisherfolk, Nations and Borders in South Asia;
By Charu Gupta & Mukul Sharma Routledge 2008 Pp251; Price Indian Rs 650. Available in bookstores in Pakistan
South Asia has unresolved border disputes with consequences for human beings living alongside these disputed lines. It also has unresolved maritime problems with consequences for fishermen who go to the sea to catch fish and are caught because they have crossed lines they can’t see.
The tragedy is that the people who catch them also can’t see where the national boundary is. Fishermen therefore have become a symbol of the immaturity of the nation states in South Asia. It is a shame that imprisoned fishermen are dramatically “exchanged” every now and then as a reluctant confidence-building measure with which to dupe the world.
Gupta and Sharma have written a very important book and its importance lies in its humanist involvement in the plight of fishermen. The book also contains the best account in one place of the three big maritime muddles that bring a bad name to the subcontinent.
Sadly, nationalisms have become attached to the Sir Creek dispute between Pakistan and India; and if you ask a Pakistani or an Indian what the quarrel is all about, he doesn’t know. Yet he supports governments who don’t want to resolve the dispute but in fact use Sir Creek as one of the grounds on which to condemn the ‘enemy’ country.
India has a coastline 7,417 km long, out of which the Gujarat state has 1,663 km, which is one-third of the entire coastline, which makes Gujarat the principal maritime state of India. Because of a rich delta, Gujarat has the best fishing, and the Gulf of Kutch has the best fish known in India. Next to Gujarat is Pakistan, and there are no agreed maritime frontiers between the two. The Maritime Zones Act of India 1976 and 1981 under which the fishermen are caught and punished doesn’t conform to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which India has signed. Pakistan is guilty of the same non-conformity.
The rival geographies of India and Pakistan are symbolised by the rival cartographies relating to Sir Creek, which is a 100 km long estuary in the marshes of the Rann of Kutch between Gujarat and Sindh. Sir Creek is not a flowing creek but a tidal channel which has no officially demarcated boundary separating Pakistan and India. Till 1954 there was free movement across the Creek. Then came the issue of finding out where the border lay. And this border was also to decide where in the Arabian Sea the line will be drawn separating Indian waters from Pakistani waters.
Till these two issues are resolved, the two countries cannot set up their continental shelves up to 350 nautical miles and describe their economic zones up to 200 nautical miles. The deadline for doing so falls in 2009. This is the area where the two could find oil and gas deposits. They can’t exploit these deposits without first sorting out the maritime boundary dispute. And the line that is drawn to describe the national frontier along Sir Creek will decide who gets how much of the sea off the Gulf of Kutch. That explains why there is no ‘give and take’ in the bilateral negotiations.
The western side of Sir Creek is under Pakistani control, and there are naval installations on the Indian side. Pakistan owns 16 creeks of Sindh and lays claim to the 17th called Sir Creek by saying that the dividing line must run along the eastern bank of the Creek - on the basis of an old map that India no longer recognises despite past record of an agreement of 1914 signed by the governments of Bombay, Sindh and the Raja of Kutch.
The Pakistani claim thus includes the left bank of the Creek, which means that the maritime border too will have to run further east than where the Indians think it is right now. The Creek no longer flows and has shifted westwards, to Pakistan’s disadvantage. Pakistan wants the boundary established according to the historical maps; India wants that too but according to thalweg.
As both the countries are deadlocked after 9 rounds of discussions till 2006, the fisherfolk suffer at the hands of the police and intelligence agencies. These poor original owners of the coast are doomed because both countries have killed the world’s biggest mangroves and fish reserve through pollution and are now simply focused on oil and gas that might or might not be there on the continental shelf. Let’s hope that there is no secret discovery of oil or gas in the uncharted waters or the two will likely have another casus belli.
India and Sri Lanka share a maritime border which is more than 400 km long cutting across three different seas: the Bay of Bengal in the north, the Palk Bay in the centre and the Gulf of Mannar in the south. In 1974 and 1976, the two countries signed agreements on how to sort out their boundaries in the sea and their territorial waters extending 12 nautical miles from the coast. The second agreement barred fishing in each other’s side of the line demarcated in the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Mannar. But there are islands given to one or the other country which cause confusion among the fishermen. The result is jailed fishermen in India and Sri Lanka.
With countries located close to one another and in some ways opposite rather than alongside each other, there is bound to be trouble when demarcating long 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zones. And if the sands are shifting either in the case of Sir Creek or in the case of an island in the case of Bay of Bengal, the states are going to be selfish in the absence of statesmen among their politicians. The India-Bangladesh land border is 4,000 km long and there are 20 million illegal Bangladeshis in India, which makes India rather nervous about people it catches crossing over.
The Bay of Bengal is the crux of the problem. Bangladesh has a concave coast reducing its continental shelf if the line is drawn from the coast; India has a convex coast and gets a larger share of the Gulf as continental shelf. India and Burma both reject Bangladesh’s stance that its shelf be measured from where its coastline is navigable and not choked with riverine effluvium. To make things worse, India and Bangladesh claim a 2 miles square island, two miles from India and five from Bangladesh, which has appeared in the Bay of Bengal composed of drifting volcanic silt. The quarrel is based on the flow of the river Haribanga inside the Bay.
When the coastal states are looking at the sea with greed and refuse to demarcate their areas of control, the fishermen come in the middle of the crossfire. The book describes the suffering of these poor people whose lives are already faced with destruction because of the environmental damage caused by these states to their fish beds. In old days, they had no problems with going far into the sea. Today navies patrol the waters jealously and spend their bravado on these victims of ‘contested coastlines’.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Bangladesh Plans Dispatching Team to Talk with Myanmar
http://energybangla.com/index.php?mod=article&cat=EBReport&article=1210
Monday, 11.24.2008, 11:59pm (GMT)
The state-owned Petrobangla is working towards establishment of friendly working relations with their Myanmar counterpart, Myanmar Oil and Gas, to augment bilateral understanding, officials said.
It will soon seek the energy ministry's consent for sending a delegation for talks with the Myanmar Oil and Gas as part of its initiative to establish mutual understanding between the two state-run bodies of the two countries.
This initiative from Petrobangla is a follow-up to the visit of a Myanmar delegation last week, when both Dhaka and Yangon agreed to continue talks until resolving the bilateral dispute over demarcation of the maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
"We will send a proposal to the energy ministry within a day or two seeking approval for sending a delegation for discussion with the Myanmar counterparts," Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed told.
He said the Petrobangla delegation is expected to visit Myanmar in December next if the energy ministry permits.
Dhaka and Yangon were locked in a duel early this month to establish their respective rights to exploration of oil and gas in the prospective Bay of Bengal.
The tensions between the two neighbors began to rise at the beginning of November when Myanmar started exploring oil and gas in one of its disputed offshore blocks, AD-7, in the bay that overlaps Bangladesh’s offshore block DS-08-13.
After a week of standoff, the tension eased following intervention of China and South Korea.
Pointing to the Petrobangla delegation's visit to Myanmar, a senior official said both the sides might sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to ensure future cooperation in the energy sector, if mutually agreed.
Petrobangla earlier signed MoUs with Thailand’s state-run PTT Exploration and Production Company and a consortium of Korean energy companies to enhance cooperation.
Myanmar and Bangladesh sharing around 320 kilometers of bordering areas are among the many impoverished countries around the globe.
According to an independent survey, Myanmar has encroached on half a dozen of Bangladesh’s offshore gas blocks in the Bay.
After intruding into Bangladesh’s offshore blocks, the Southeast Asian country already leased out those to Chinese, Indian and South Korean companies for exploration in last several years.
The companies that were awarded the disputed offshore blocks in the Bay include the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and South Korean Daewoo International.
The Chinese CNPC was awarded by Myanmar the block AD-8 that overlaps Bangladesh’s deep-sea offshore blocks - DS-08-18 and part of DS-08-17 and DS-08-13.
The Indian ONGC was awarded Myanmar’s block AD-9 that overlaps the Bangladeshi offshore gas blocks DS-08-22, DS-08-23, DS-08-27 and DS-08-28.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Standoff in the Bay of Bengal
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/Security-Watch/Detail/?ots591=4888CAA0-B3DB-1461-98B9-E20E7B9C13D4&lng=en&id=93998
Tensions are palpable as Burma and Bangladesh face off over rights to a resource-rich piece of the Bay of Bengal, and their neighbors watch and wait, Animesh Roul writes for ISN Security Watch.
By Animesh Roul in New Delhi for ISN Security Watch
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In reaction to a move seen as an encroachment on its territory, Bangladesh deployed warships and land forces along its border with Burma (Myanmar) in early November over the latter's bid to explore oil and gas in a disputed maritime zone in the Bay of Bengal, creating the first major naval deployment in the bay over offshore oil and gas rights since 1972.
Myanmar has dismissed Bangladesh's claims on this oil-rich area as "unlawful" and vowed to continue exploration. Tensions have been relatively eased as Dhaka called back its frigates and Myanmar temporarily halted activities in the area. However, despite Dhaka’s multi-pronged diplomatic efforts involving China and South Korea, the stand-off remains unresolved.
Still worse, an inconclusive round of bilateral talks in Myanmar's new capital, Naypyidaw, to settle the controversy has triggered both sides to deploy troops along the border near Myanmar's Rakhain state.
Bangladesh claims that Myanmar’s exploration activities impinged on its right to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf, as accorded by the UN’s Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). On the other hand, Dhaka itself has yet to complete the delimitation of its maritime boundary accordingly. Its littoral neighbors and legitimate claimants of the Bay, India and Myanmar, found significant amounts of hydrocarbons in 2005-2006 and demarcated their respective offshore gas fields as per the "equidistant" principle. In some areas, these demarcations overlap Bangladesh’s share of the bay's gas fields.
Under UNCLOS, India and Myanmar must complete the demarcation process by 2009, where as Bangladesh has until 2011.
The ongoing face-off is not an isolated event. On earlier occasions, Myanmar’s naval forces blocked Bangladesh’s efforts to survey in the EEZ. To ward off any such future maritime aggression and protect its only mineral-rich maritime territory, the impoverished and politically unstable Dhaka has begun modernizing its naval force in recent years, putting many domestic priorities at stake.
Myanmar’s recent overtures certainly have heightened the risk of war between otherwise friendly Asian nations, very often overwhelmed by a spurt of bilateral ambitious project agreements. However, all bonhomie seems to be marred by this long-standing maritime boundary dispute.
Observers also speculate that Myanmar's junta may postpone many projects relating to border trade and infrastructure with Bangladesh due to the dispute.
India, the largest of the three littoral countries, has remained mute on the dispute between its neighbors, perhaps due to the past experience. Bangladesh and India had problems earlier concerning the exploration of deepwater blocks. Dhaka protested against New Delhi’s alleged encroachment and allotment of gas blocks for exploration under its New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) in 2006. Mahmudur Rahman, a former energy adviser to the Bangladeshi government, claimed that both Myanmar and India had encroached 18,000 and 19,000 sq km, respectively, into Bangladesh’s territorial waters. India and Myanmar denied the claim.
Understandably, the resource- rich Bay of Bengal has re-emerged as a theater of conflict, as littoral countries are increasingly engaged in harvesting hydrocarbons unilaterally: This is bound to trigger tension. Myanmar leased the present zone of contention, Block No AD-7, to South Korea's Daewoo International Corp in 2005. The company started explorations in the area in September but South Korea reportedly called it back following Bangladesh’s protest.
China intervened to defuse the latest tension, but remains elusive in terms of the overall controversy, preferring to wait and watch. Myanmar is a storehouse of oil, gas and other natural resources, which the junta exchanges for military aid. These resource revenues form the backbone of country’s economic security. Furthermore, Myanmar has already entered into agreements to export gas to China and India, but surprisingly, not with Bangladesh yet.
Despite the deadlock, diplomatic maneuvers continue. Foreign Ministry representatives from both Myanmar and Bangladesh met on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation conference in New Delhi last week and agreed to carry forward dialogues to reach an amicable solution. The latest round of bilateral talks between Dhaka and Naypyidaw on 16-17 November ended inconclusively. The next round is scheduled for January.
Always at a receiving end, Bangladesh must trust India and Myanmar while mutually agreeing to draw the maritime boundary in the bay. It is imperative that all parties who have stakes on the bay waters, including India, engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve the maritime boundary issue equitably and more importantly, amicably, in order to avoid upsetting shaky regional stability.
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Animesh Roul is a senior correspondent for ISN Security Watch based in New Delhi.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author only, not the International Relations and Security Network (ISN).
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Publisher
International Relations and Security Network (ISN)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Next round talks in Myanmar-BANGLADESH-BURMA
Dhaka sees 'progress' Staff Correspondent
The Bangladesh-Myanmar expert-level maritime delimitation talks ended yesterday with decision to sit again in Yangon next January, only four months ahead of Myanmar's deadline for maritime demarcation claims to UN.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)-1982, Bangladesh must file its claim within July 27, 2011 to the UN, while India and Myanmar will have to claim the maritime demarcation with Bangladesh within June 29 and May 21 next year.
Sources present at the meeting say the two sides remained rigid on their stance on the methodology to be used in delimitation.
As Myanmar argues for equal-distance method, Bangladesh prefers the maritime boundaries to be drawn on the basis of equity. Though rigid in own position both the sides were cordial to settle the issue due to their bilateral interest, the sources add.
During the two-day talks, Bangladesh categorically asked the Myanmar delegation not to cross Bangladesh sea territory until a maritime delimitation deal is signed between the two countries.
However, the Bangladesh delegation termed the talks "incremental progress" as Myanmar shifted from its position and offered Bangladesh a corridor in sea territory.
"We've both exchanged our proposal but yet to reach an agreement. We'll sit again in January to reach a consensus," said MAK Mahmood, additional foreign secretary and also team leader of the Bangladesh side.
“If we accept their corridor proposal we'll be 'zone-locked' ," he added.
The sources say Myanmar did not agree to what Bangladesh asked about the hydrocarbon exploration issue.
"They say that Bangladesh's claim is very near to their coast and disagreed to honour the request," informs a meeting source.
Myanmar's Deputy Foreign Minister Maug Moyint was leading an 11-member expert team at the two-day dialogue that is fourth of its kind. The first-round talks were held on March 30 this year.
The maritime issues between the countries have remained unresolved for 22 years.
Lately, tension flared up when the Myanmar government engaged South Korean Daewoo International Corp in drilling for hydrocarbon reserves in the disputed territory.
The Myanmar ships entered Bangladesh territory marked as deep-sea blocks 8-13 early this month ignoring warnings from the Bangladesh Navy, who soon moved to regain control over the area.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Bangladesh, Myanmar maritime border talks end inconclusive
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/17/content_10372320.htm
www.chinaview.cn 2008-11-17 19:40:42 Print
DHAKA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh and Myanmar have decided to continue maritime border talks as experts of the two countries ended their hectic negotiations on Monday inconclusive on critical issue of drawing their maritime boundary through the Bay of Bengal.
The technical experts of the two countries could not make any substantial progress in determining the methodology of the delimitation.
"This is a complex negotiation...This can not be resolved today or tomorrow. We will continue our talks in the future to arrive at peaceful settlement," Foreign Advisor of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told reporters here on Monday.
He said the two sides explained their respective positions regarding the methodology of delimitation and tried to find out a common formula.
The two sides signed an agreed minute at the end of their two-day meeting to carry on the technical level negotiations.
Asked about the outcome of the talks, Iftekhar said, "Outcome is continued talks."
The Bangladeshi team was led by Additional Foreign Secretary MAK Mahmood and the Myanmar side led by Deputy Foreign Minister Maung U Myint.
Mahmood told reporters earlier that Dhaka placed logic of the principle of equity (180 degree line) in delimitating the sea border while Yangon stressed equidistance (243 degree line) principle, "which is not acceptable to us."
The sources participating in the talks said the Myanmar side was rigid on their arguments and no practical progress was made at the meeting.
The host Bangladesh requested the Myanmar side to restrict its survey and exploratory activities in the disputed waters to the East of 180 degree line until a final agreement between the two states on maritime delimitation is signed.
The negotiations took place hot on the heels of a near-confrontation over oil exploration by Myanmar in the disputed part of the Bay waters early this month.
The two neighbors held two technical-level talks in April and September this year on the subject.
Editor: Deng Shasha
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Bangladesh, Myanmar start talks to defuse sea row
http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-36525720081116
Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:20pm IST Email | Print | Share| Single Page[-] Text [+] DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh urged Myanmar on Sunday to refrain from oil and gas exploration in disputed areas in the Bay of Bengal until they are able to sign an agreement to resolve the issue.
The call came at the start of talks in Dhaka between experts from both countries to try to demarcate the sea territory between them following a week-long stand off early this month, officials said.
"Myanmar should restrain explorations in the disputed areas in the Bay of Bengal until signing final agreement between the countries," M.A.K. Mahmood, leader of the Bangladesh side, said in his opening remarks.
Tension between the two countries rose last month when Yangon started exploring for gas and oil in the disputed area.
Bangladesh pulled back naval ships from the disputed water after Myanmar stopped the exploration, following intense diplomatic efforts by Dhaka.
But both countries deployed troops at strategic points along their 320 km (200 mile) common border, partly demarcated by the river Naf.
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Friday, November 14, 2008
Army watcher says Burma navy can't compete with Bangladesh's-DVB
http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=1930
Nov 13, 2008 (DVB)-A Burmese military analyst said Burma's navy could not compete with Bangladesh's if the two countries come to blow over ongoing maritime boundary dispute in the Gulf of Bengal.
U Htay Aung from research and documentation department of Thailand-based Network for Democracy and Development said the Burmese Navy's weaponry and tactical skills are no match for those of Bangladesh.
"The Burmese government only has a few warships bought from China that break down often even during military exercises," said U Htay Aung.
"Many Burmese naval ships in Heingyi Island base were also destroyed by Cyclone Nargis," he said.
"That can also be one of the reasons why the Burmese decided to back off in the sea."
The forces of Bangladesh and Burma have gathered in striking distance at sea and land in areas between the two countries in a warlike situation amid growing tension over a disputed stretch of sea.
Ko Kyaw Myint, a leader of All Arakan Students and Youths Congress, an activist group based in Bangladesh confirmed that both sides had stepped up security in the border areas.
"[The Burmese authorities] are not allowing any water vehicle, including rice and other trade cargos, enter their territory from Bangladesh," said Ko Kyaw Mynt.
Reporting by Khin Maung Soe Min
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