Bangladesh on Friday despatched two warships to confront what it termed as an “intrusion” by three Indian vessels. It alleged that the Indian ships entered its waters for hydrocarbon exploration in the resource-rich Bay of Bengal. Following a complaint from the Bangladeshi Navy, the government ordered a probe following which “appropriate action” will be taken. “We have already lodged a ship-to-ship protest, while the Indian vessels still remained in our territory,” a Navy official said.

The private Bdnews24 news agency quoted Foreign Ministry officials as saying that one Indian survey vessel backed by two Navy ships intruded into Bangladeshi waters for hydrocarbon exploration. Maritime officials earlier said the Indian vessels started their exploration activities some 140 nautical miles southwest off Mongla seaport.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman later added said an Indian survey ship was seen in the deep-sea block 14 in the maritime area claimed by Bangladesh under its Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1974. He said the survey ship was escorted by two other “support vessels” adding that a Bangladesh Navy patrol vessel at the scene asked the Indian ship to leave Bangladesh waters.

The spokesman said the survey ship initially moved towards Indian waters but “later came back to the earlier location where they were again located in the afternoon of December 25, 2008”. “When our Navy vessel again asked it to leave Bangladesh waters, the ship replied that it was in Indian waters,” he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Mohammad Touhid Hossain said, “We will file a diplomatic protest note by tomorrow to get the Indian vessels to depart.” Foreign Adviser of the interim government Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury added that an investigation was ordered. “We will take whatever action is deemed appropriate on the basis of the results of the investigation,” Chowdhury told PTI. Bangladesh Navy frigate Khalid bin Walid and another battleship were sent to the scene last night.

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