MARITIME VERDICTS AND AVENUES OF RESOURCE EXPLORATION FOR BANGLADESH

This article analyzes how international maritime verdicts in the Bay of Bengal clarified Bangladesh’s maritime entitlements, providing legal certainty over its continental shelf and exclusive economic zone. It explains the jurisprudence on delimitation, baselines, and equitable principles, then turns to policy implications for hydrocarbon exploration, fisheries governance, and marine renewables. The abstract underscores that legal clarity is necessary but insufficient; translating verdicts into economic dividends requires institutional readiness, updated geoscientific surveys, credible licensing, and environmental safeguards integrated with community livelihoods.

The body reviews the sequence of cases and their operative findings, showing how the new boundaries alter investment risk and encourage multi-client seismic surveys. A resource chapter estimates prospective reserves, outlines fiscal terms that balance investor incentives with national interests, and surveys regional benchmarks. The fisheries section recommends science-based total allowable catches, monitoring, control and surveillance capacity, and co-management with artisanal fleets to avoid overexploitation. The paper also evaluates offshore wind and tidal prospects, noting grid-integration challenges. Environmental and safety frameworks are proposed, including EIA standards adapted to sensitive deltaic ecosystems and spill-response preparedness. Implementation roadmaps emphasize interagency coordination, transparent auctions, and port and yard upgrades to service offshore operations. The conclusion positions the verdicts as a foundation for a diversified blue economy that couples revenue generation with sustainability.