Indian fishermen’s arrest lays bare uneasy Delhi-Dhaka ties, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• 34 Indian fishermen were detained by Bangladesh authorities near Mongla port. 
• High Commission of India in Dhaka has sought consular access and early repatriation.
• The 2014 maritime boundary settlement by the Permanent Court of Arbitration lacks visible maritime markers, causing unintended boundary crossings.
• An unwritten bilateral understanding used to allow for quick release of detained fishermen, now reportedly not honoured.
• 185 fishermen were detained in 2024 but exchanged on January 5, 2025, maintaining prior diplomatic practices.
• Post-August 2024, fall of the Sheikh Hasina government has strained traditional India-Bangladesh mechanisms for resolving such issues.

Detailed Insights:

• The maritime boundary between India and Bangladesh was settled in 2014 through international arbitration, yet poor demarcation in the Bay of Bengal remains unresolved.
• Previously, both countries operated on a mutual understanding that fishermen, being unaware of the maritime boundary, should be treated with leniency.
• The change in Bangladesh’s political leadership post-August 2024 is leading to a shift in bilateral engagement, marked by stricter enforcement of maritime laws.
• These arrests indicate weakening of informal diplomatic conventions, potentially impacting people-to-people ties and regional livelihoods.
• Fishermen communities remain vulnerable due to the absence of technological or infrastructural mechanisms to detect international marine boundaries.
• The incident underscores a growing trust deficit and the need for a formalised bilateral Fishermen Protection Protocol to prevent future diplomatic friction.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Maritime Boundary Delimitation: The process of legally defining territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) between coastal states.
• Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): An intergovernmental organisation that resolves disputes involving states and international law, including maritime issues.

Mains Mock Question:

Discuss the impact of maritime boundary disputes on bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh. Suggest measures to prevent such incidents in the future.