MARITIME SECURITY OF BANGLADESH: FACING THE CHALLENGES OF NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS

This article examines the growing challenges of non-traditional threats to the maritime security of Bangladesh. It argues that the country's maritime security agenda must expand beyond its traditional focus on state-based military threats to address a more complex and diverse range of challenges emerging from the sea. The study identifies and analyzes the key non-traditional threats in the Bay of Bengal, including maritime terrorism, piracy and armed robbery at sea, smuggling of narcotics and small arms, illegal fishing, and marine pollution. The research assesses the existing capacity of the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard to counter these threats. The paper posits that effectively securing the country's maritime domain requires a multi-agency approach and enhanced regional and international cooperation. The analysis concludes that a comprehensive strategy to combat non-traditional maritime threats is a critical component of Bangladesh's overall national security.

The maritime domain is a vital national interest for Bangladesh, but it is also a source of a growing number of complex, non-traditional security threats. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of these challenges. The study begins by conceptually distinguishing between traditional and non-traditional security threats. The core of the article is a detailed examination of the specific non-traditional threats confronting Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal. It provides an assessment of the potential for maritime terrorism. It analyzes the persistent problem of piracy and armed robbery against ships, which threatens the safety of vital sea lines of communication. The paper also delves into the significant challenge of maritime law enforcement, focusing on the cross-border smuggling of goods, people, and illicit narcotics. A further key theme is the threat to resource security posed by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which depletes the country's marine resources. The findings reveal a significant gap between the scale of these challenges and the existing capacity of the country's maritime security agencies. The paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations, advocating for a strengthening of inter-agency coordination, an investment in modern maritime surveillance technology, and a proactive diplomacy to build a cooperative regional maritime security architecture in the Bay of Bengal.