Maritime Security of Bangladesh

Introduction:

In contemporary world, maritime security remains at the forefront of political concern in many of the littoral countries bordering oceans, bays, gulfs or any other international water body. It is a part of national security and not an isolated strategic entity by itself, thereby requiring integration with the overall national security model of a littoral state.

Traditional concept of Maritime security is furnished mostly by the powerful maritime powers with emphasis on a strategy to fight war and restore peace in the seas. In this sense, the thinking that dominated the experts on maritime security is the domination of the seas and oceans by the powerful nations somewhat on a conventional wisdom that one who rules the sea, rules the land. This individualistic, acquisitive and aggressive manner of a few powerful maritime nations ultimately paved the way for development of mighty navies for power projection, gunboat diplomacy, unwarranted intervention in weak littoral states affairs, neocolonialism and the like. As a result, the perception of oceanic peace and security had been the monopoly of few powerful nations with formidable military control over a vast span of oceanic space to safeguard their specific security interests on such grounds as historical claims, geo-strategic interests, commercial interests etc. In brief, maritime security was manipulated by few as being strictly military-centric in nature, and many newly independent states in post World War II, either due to colonial legacy or for security reasons subsequently embraced this approach as manifested in their rapid naval build-ups along side their various efforts to reduce threats in the terrestrial domain by conventional means. The paradigmatic shift in the concept of security with its emphasis both on conventional and non-conventional threats in recent times, enhanced the scope and dimension of comprehensive maritime security as broad as that of the land based one in terms of the threats and vulnerabilities, and the means for dealing with them. Maritime security is a multi-faceted concept that not only involves domestic and international laws but also consideration of geopolitics of the area concerned. Maritime security should be viewed from global and regional geo-political perspectives. Maritime security is an indispensible part of comprehensive security of a country. Bangladesh being a small country in South Asia, she faces serious maritime security threat from both traditional and non-traditional sectors as well as changing geopolitical dimensions. This paper explores these dynamics and suggests measures to ensure maritime security for Bangladesh.

Literature Survey:
Abu Taher Salahuddin Ahmed (2010) argues that Maritime Security entails security from crimes at sea, resource security, environmental security, and security of seafarers and fishers. Highlighting all these issues, he argues, Bangladesh being a small country should opt for regional cooperation and proposes for setting up a regional maritime co-operative security mechanism (RMCSM) within the broader framework of SAARC for ensuring whole regional maritime security. Barrister Harun ur Rashid (2009) argues that Maritime security cannot be separated from a broader picture of strategic environment. Maritime security has two aspects: macro and micro issues and the synthesis of the two will guide Bangladesh in combating threats to its maritime security. Commodore Md. Khurshed Alam (2009) analyses the traditional issues impinging on Maritime Boundary Delimitation for Bangladesh. He critically analyses all the problematic issues between Myanmar-India and Bangladesh that hampers maritime border dispute by UNCLOS. Dr. Abul Kalam Azad (2009) traces the non-Traditional threats to the Maritime Security of Bangladesh i.e. illegal exploitation of resources (illegal fishing, poaching, exploration of oil and gas, extraction of minerals), deliberate pollution of marine environment, ordinary theft, armed robbery, piracy, illegal trafficking in arms, drugs and human, hijacking and sabotage, terrorism, mercenary activities and maritime insurgency operations, illegal trade in ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) etc. Besides proposing adaptation of developmental measures at national level for maritime security, he suggests that regional cooperation and inception of ocean governance among the littoral states can solve the non-traditional maritime security threat of Bangladesh. M. Habibur Rahman (1984) points out the problems related to delimitation of maritime boundaries of Bangladesh. He suggests that Bangladesh needs to fix the boundary at a fourpoint junction measured from the Bangladesh coast, the coast of India's mainland, the coast of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, and the coast of Sri Lanka; and adds that the boundary of the continental shelf/margin is to be fixed at a tri-junction measured from the coast of Bangladesh, Burma, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. S. Taleb (2010) argues that the most important maritime security issue for Bangladesh is to delimit its maritime boundaries in order to exploit its offshore resources, including gas and oil. However, Bangladesh has faced a number of difficulties with neighbouring countries over the demarcation of maritime boundaries, including overlapping claims with India and Myanmar. S. Taleb suggests that Bangladesh must make preparations for establishing its claims over its maritime boundaries without delay and adds if negotiations to resolve these disputes become fruitless, Bangladesh should make proper preparations to submit and win its claims through international legal regimes. These prior works discuss partial dimensions i.e. traditional/ non-traditional/demarcation problem/geopolitical dimensions only and separately. This paper comprehensively synthesize the previous ideas and developments, thus it aims at being a full picture of comprehensive maritime security of Bangladesh, not partial like prior works.

Why Discuss Maritime Security:

Maritime security is described as those measures government and other stake holders employ against maritime threats- both military and non-military threats. Indian Ocean: Bangladesh opens to the Indian Ocean through the Bay of Bengal in the south. Thus, she has to look at the current geo-political players of the Indian Ocean which is being gradually militarized. The players are US, China, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia and their naval ships routinely patrol the Indian Ocean to keep the sea-lanes safe from threats for oil tankers, cargo and passenger ships. India has undertaken a number of important naval and air construction projects at Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a planned military reconnaissance centre in the Maldives and new interest in naval facilities in Sri Lanka. Since the US considers China a strategic competitor, not a strategic partner, China feels that it is being encircled by the US and its allies to contain Chinas influence in the Asia Pacific region. Obviously China has been monitoring the US and Indias increased military role in the Ocean-area from a base in Myanmar (Coco Islands). There appears to be a silent cold war going on between China and the US and its allies on the Indian Ocean. Global Security Environment: Terrorism is a global problem and it cannot be fought by a single state. Terrorism is a strategy and a deadly game of hide and seek. Terrorists are non-state actors that are elusive. The principal problem of terrorism is that they have a global reach, estimated to be in 60 countries. The terrorists are groups, without countries or uniforms and may lie low for years before they act. Second, while the US is clearly too strong to stay on the sidelines of world affairs, it is too weak to implement its own agenda without wide international support. Third, the current political and security environment is very fluid. Many security experts believe the world order is in transition because there is no power at the moment including the US that can force an issue to its wishes and satisfaction. This has led to an awkward truth is that the world is neither dominated by a unipolar power nor multipolar powers. Currently we live in a non-polar world and the balance of power is going through an evolution period. It is obvious that power in the world is realigning and that Asia is going to become more important. These things are clear and do not need to be debated at length.

Bangladesh Case:
Bangladesh, an Indian Ocean littoral state, has a maritime zone that engenders significant security implications for the country. However, the maritime component of the countrys national security continues to remain till to date less debated with very little efforts to

sensitize its constituent issues. In particular, the current perception of comprehensive maritime security in Bangladesh is insouciant, and the strategy, plans and actions with respect to it are inadequate. Comprehensive maritime security as understood in contemporary ocean governance has two facets conventional/traditional and nonconventional/ non-traditional. With regard to Bangladeshs maritime security, let me begin by posing three questions: The word security presupposes something to be secured. The three questions are: (a) what is being secured, (b) what is secured against? And (c) what mechanisms may be undertaken to provide security? Traditional Issues: Bangladesh is a coastal state. This brings both advantages and difficulties. Given the current global and regional security environment, a comprehensive maritime security that includes Bangladesh ports, Bangladesh shipping, off-shore oil and gas facilities and shipping lanes in Bangladesh waters is required. Bangladesh has to secure 12 miles territorial sea, 200 miles economic zone (12 miles+188 miles=200 miles) and another 150 miles of continental shelf from the limit of 200 miles, declared by the 1974 Territorial Waters and Maritimes Zones Act. Bangladesh has the exclusive right to explore and exploit marine and continental shelf resources. These include not only fish and other living resources but also petroleum, gas and other minerals. Furthermore seawater according to scientists, contains about 300 chemical elements which can be exploited with the assistance and support of the technologically-advanced states. Bangladesh has to safeguard these maritime intertests. The difficulty in exploring and exploiting exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal lies in the non-delimitation of maritime boundary with India and Myanmar. In recent months, we witnessed both Myanmar and India sent survey ships in Bangladeshs area supported by naval ships. Although Bangladesh had successfully defused the likely confrontation on the sea through diplomatic efforts and dispatching Bangladesh naval ships in the area, potential tension remains until the area is delimited with India and Myanmar. Non-military threats: Bangladesh has to cope with transnational non-military threats emanating from seas. Relaxed security on the seafront facilitates easy illegal entry and departure from seas. For instance, 20 young terrorists of the Mumbai attacks on November 26th came to that city by a boat because of relaxed immigration control. An important adjunct to martime terrorism is drug trafficking. Terrorist groups often work hand-in-hand with drug cartles. While Iran and Pakistan have become the Golden Crescent in drug trafficking, Myanmar and Thailand constitute the Golden Triangle. Bangladesh could be used as a transit point forn drug trafficking.

Gunrunning by sea is the safest means of transferring illegal arms and ammunition around the world. Ever since the seizure of arms and ammunitions including submschine guns and AK rifles, rocket propelled grenades and their launchers, 2000 grenades and three lakh bullets during unloading from MV Khazar Dan and FB Amanat, at the jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser on April 2, 2004, , there had been an unending stream of reports in all newspapers of such entry of illegal arms and weapons through sea port. The Home Ministry of Bangladesh has in recent days declared its firm commitment to undertake a thorough investigation to find out who were responsible for the illegal entry of weapons and who were the financiers of such vast quantity of weapons through Chittagong port that has become a strategic point of entry for illegal arms. Furthermore pirates are quite active on the high seas and they may operate in the contiguous zones. Maritime piracy, consists of any criminal acts of violence, and detention, committed against a cargo/passenger ship on the sea. Seaborne piracy against transport vessels remains a significant issue with estimated worldwide losses of US $13 to $16 billion per year, particularly in the waters between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, off the Somali coast, and also in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, which are used by over 50,000 commercial ships a year. Another threat has emerged from unlikely place. This is container security that is often linked to maritime terrorism. In 2002, the US navy found that al-Queada terrorists who were hiding inside a well-equipped containers escaped before the search commenced. In another case a suspected terrorist smuggled himself halfway the world inside a shipping container that was well equipped with a bed and toilet. He was carrying computers, cameras, mobile phones, maps and seaport security passes for Thailand, Egypt and Canada. It has been reported that cargo ships are often used for unloading supplies for terrorists and one instance was that the suicide cadres who bombed US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998 were provided with supplies by cargo ships. Oil- related disasters at sea are not only environmental hazards but also affect maritime security Oil spills can seriously affect the flow of merchant shipping traffic to and from Bangladesh

Need for Maritime Security of Bangladesh:

Bangladesh is a maritime country with huge Exclusive Economic Zone. The need for maritime security for Bangladesh's sea lines can hardly be over-emphasized. Maritime patrol is one element of the multi-layered approach to maritime security that Bangladesh could employ to protect national interests. In practice elsewhere, maritime security has moved well beyond the traditional concepts of naval or military threat although, of course, the protection of sovereign interests against military force remains a fundamental issue for any government.

The need for maritime security for Bangladesh can be divided into two broad categories: a. Civilian requirement and b. Military requirement

Civilian requirement: Bangladesh has a huge maritime economy to protect. This maritime sector is very important for Bangladesh's overall national economic growth and social life. Bangladeshs maritime sector is important to the nations economy and quality of life in a number of ways: 1. 2. 3. 4. About 90% of our external trade is done through sea routes Huge deposit of hydrocarbon and investment in dollar value in this sector Marine fisheries--one of the largest export earning sectors Tourism industry

The importance of Bangladeshs marine resources in the national economy will grow in coming years because of extraction of the large deposits of minerals. Bangladesh can find its sovereign civilian interests challenged directly or indirectly in many ways such as: 1. 2. 3. 4. illegal resource exploitation; disregard of national or international law; illegal transportation of goods or people; creation of environmental hazards.

Addressing these varied challenges today requires a wider range of capabilities, processes and policies namely; 1. Surveillance: the detection of activities, events or changes in condition within an area of ocean jurisdiction; 2. Monitoring: the systematic observation of specific activities, events, or conditions; 3. Control: the execution and the rendering effective of international and national rules and regulations; or other responses as appropriate. Military requirement: Bangladesh has maritime border dispute with India and the expansion of Indian navy both in size and capability is a matter of concern for Bangladesh. Sea is the only outlet for Bangladesh to exercise her sovereign rights as she is land locked from three sides by India and Myanmar. The type of maritime security issues that can emerge are as follows: 1. Maritime espionage by inimical forces 2. naval blockade 3. Terrorism against maritime interests such as blowing up trade vessels, and gas extraction facilities 4. Illegal drugs and weapons transportation 5. forceful occupation of maritime land patches by sea pirates and even by neighbouring countries.

Maritime Border Demarcation Issue: Maritime boundary, like territorial or land boundary, is a politically sensitive subject, because it affects a state's sovereign rights concerning the fisheries, hydrocarbons and other resources as well as uses of the sea. This sensitivity is manifest in the issue of delimitation of maritime boundaries between Bangladesh-India-Myanmar. S. Taleb (2009) argues that the most important maritime security issue for Bangladesh is to delimit its maritime boundaries in order to exploit its offshore resources, including gas and oil. However, Bangladesh has faced a number of difficulties with neighbouring countries over the demarcation of maritime boundaries, including overlapping claims with India and Myanmar. S. Taleb suggests that Bangladesh must make preparations for establishing its claims over its maritime boundaries without delay and adds if negotiations to resolve these disputes become fruitless, Bangladesh should make proper preparations to submit and win its claims through international legal regimes.

Figure 1: Territorial Sea Baselines

Discoveries of gas by India and Myanmar in 2005-6 make delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and continental shelf (CS) boundaries particularly important. However, Bangladesh faces a number of difficulties in demarcating its maritime borders:

Bangladeshs claims are founded upon depth-based baselines, due to the characteristics of its coastline. It has declared straight baselines, selecting eight imaginary base points following the 10-fathom line. The unique characteristics of Bangladeshs coast create difficulties for demarcation. Bangladeshs dynamic estuary and the continual process of alluvion and sedimentation, for example, mean that there is no stable low water line. Due to the geographical and geomorphic nature of the coasts in the Bay of Bengal, states in the region sometimes encroach upon each others EEZs.

India and Myanmar argue that disputes with Bangladesh should be resolved according to the equidistant principle. Bangladesh, however, argues that in disputes between adjacent states, the equity principle should apply instead.

Figure 2: Zone-locked Bangladesh

How to Ensure Maritime Security of Bangladesh:

The following three steps action might be inaugurated for Bangladesh maritime security At national level enhancing capability and regional level promoting regional mechanism as well as solving maritime demarcation bilaterally if possible; if not possible by the UNCLOS provisions may be adopted for lasting and enduring maritime security for Bangladesh. Aircraft options: The choice of aircraft platform is the most important decision for two reasons: a. the costs of aircraft and ships can be high and seem to rise exponentially for assets that have high endurance or operate at long distances b. platforms need to be matched closely with the tasks to be undertaken. (Extra capacity comes at a high price.) Now, let us take a look at the type of range that is needed in the rotary and fixed wing aircraft to perform maritime security tasks. It can be broken down into three broad categories:

1. coastal - along the coastline and Territorial Sea where the need is usually for short duration coverage; 2. mid-range - throughout much of the EEZ, an area accessible to medium-range commercial aircraft; 3. long distance further out, especially over the outer fringes of the EEZ and beyond, where usually there is a requirement for sustained operations. These rotary and fixed wing aircrafts should also have the following combat capabilities: a. b. c. d. e. Antisubmarine warfare (ASW), Anti-surface warfare, Standoff land attack, Intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance, and Counterdrug missions.

To Solve Maritime Border Dispute: The government of Bangladesh should consider the maritime issue as an important aspect of national security and economic prosperity. It should promote technical developments for the maximum utilisation of marine resources. To enjoy the economic opportunities provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Bangladesh must demarcate its maritime boundary. To this end the government of Bangladesh should:

Acquire marine patrol aircraft to guard its territorial sea. It should provide the navy with sufficient sophisticated equipment to monitor and protect coastline islands, the EEZ and the CS. It should conduct joint naval exercises with major powers. Enact domestic laws incorporating the UNCLOS in order to establish a stronger claim in international legal regimes. It may have to redraw its 1974 baselines to ensure they are consistent with the UNCLOS, 1982. Coordinate experts working on UNCLOS and maritime issues in order to maintain continuity in the negotiating process. Coordination among the multiple organisations working on maritime issues is also vital. Negotiate with Myanmar and India. This is vital since neither country favours third party intervention on this issue. It should consider the alliance relationship and prepare properly to establish strong claims at the negotiations. Internationalise the issue in order to strengthen its claims and gain international support. Consider joint management of resources, both renewable and non-renewable, which could benefit Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. However, this will require friendly relations and many rounds of negotiations.

Regional Cooperation Measures: 1. SAARC leaders consensus to promote regional co-operation through a regional maritime co-operative security mechanism (RMCSM) and its implementation through operationalization. 2. Operationalizing an integrated regional maritime resource management system (IRMRMS). In managing an IRMRMS, rule of law must prevail. 3. Establishing and operationalizing a SAARC network of surveillance, to vigil at transboundary crimes. It can and will act as a detection and notification system for the states agents. 4. Formation, under the SAARC umbrella, an ocean-based traffic system, manned by SAARC Ocean Force (SAARCOF), which will go beyond the capability and efficiency of a nations Coast Guards. This may help to evolve an effective regional joint management of maritime resources and governance, enhancing maritime security of regional powers, including Bangladesh. 5. Having vision-based action plan: SAARC leaders vision should be to establish an overarching ocean management regime indispensable for preserving peace and security in the ocean, hence, in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in which India has supremacy vis-avis other SAARC states. Indias goal of building up a blue water navy should be designed as such so that smaller littoral states of Indian Ocean do not view it targeted against their interest. India rather should ensure, through its blue water navy mechanism, the protection of smaller Indian Ocean littoral states interest in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal as well. Strong advocacy of this should be a continuous task of the smaller Indian Ocean littoral states. After all, India is destined to be a great power for which its needs its blue water navy too as China has built up its own blue water navy. Both want to see a balance of power is maintained in the Indian Ocean. 6. Establishing and implementing of a SAARC Maritime Security Centre/Institution in India, having its sister-branches in Chittagong and Mongla Ports of Bangladesh. Within their ambit, introducing of the SAARC Maritime Security Chair (e.g. at Universities of Madras, Bombay, Andhra, JNU, Delhi, and Kolkata) will be helpful to introduce undergraduate and graduate courses on marine resources and technology and maritime security. These will give rise to increasing awareness about maritime security and ocean management, contributing to address the maritime security and ocean management issue effectively. And such practice has been introduced in the worlds other region from which the region has positively been profited in terms of regional co-operation. 7. Undertaking SAARC action plans and strategies to address problems of maritime security by interfacing [as and when situation calls for] Track-I, Track-II, and Track-III processes. These in turn will take SAARC toward greater connectivity in ocean management. 8. A rapid formulation and implementation of a SAARC Parliamentary Maritime Group. It will act as a watch-dog in strengthening SAARCs institutional pillars necessary for enhancing good governance in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Begal, thereby promoting regional maritime co-operation through RMCSM.

References

M. Habibur Rahman (1984), Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries: A Survey of Problems in the Bangladesh Case, Asian Survey, Vol. 24, No. 12, pp. 1302-1317 published by: University of California Press Barrister Harun ur Rashid (2009), Maritime Security: Diplomatic Initiatives, Paper Presented at the Seminar on Maritime Security of Bangladesh organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Dhaka, on Thursday 12 February, 2009 Md. Khurshed Alam(2009), Maritime Security of Bangladesh: Traditional Issues Impinging on Maritime Boundary Delimitation, Paper Presented at the Seminar on Maritime Security of Bangladesh organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Dhaka, on Thursday 12 February, 2009 Dr. Abul Kalam Azad (2009), Maritime Security of Bangladesh: Facing the Challenges of Non-Traditional Threats, Paper Presented at the Seminar on Maritime Security of Bangladesh organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Dhaka, on Thursday 12 February, 2009 Abu Taher Salahuddin Ahmed (2010), Maritime Security of Bangladesh: Exploring Regional Cooperation, South Asian Survey.