A Study of Bangladesh’s Maritime Strategy Options and Its Development Prospects

Abstract

The Bay of Bengal, the largest bay in the world, is of strategic importance to the littoral countries including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. With 118,000 square kilometres of territorial waters, a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and a portion of the continental shelf, following the successful resolution of maritime boundary disputes with its neighbours, Bangladesh has an excellent new opportunity to make full use of the sea and its resources. Bangladesh has placed a high priority on the Blue Economy in its maritime strategy in recent years, with an emphasis on driving the country's blue economic growth and achieving sustainable development goals. The vast potential for commerce and trade, tourism, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and access to deep-water ports is an opportunity to develop Blue Economy. In view of its interests in the vast maritime areas of the Bay of Bengal, an in-depth understanding of Bangladesh's maritime strategy would be useful to gauge the overall strategic situation in the Bay of Bengal in a timely and effective manner.