The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday cleared the ‘Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones (Amendment) Bill 2021’ for passage.
The committee in its 24th meeting finalised its recommendations on the bill with its chairman Faruk Khan in the chair. Committee members Nurul Islam Nahid and Kazi Nabil Ahmed attended the meeting.
Senior officials of the foreign ministry including the secretary of its Maritime Affairs Unit were also present at the meeting, said a Parliament Secretariat press release.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on September 16 placed the bill before parliament aiming to establish Bangladesh's sovereignty over its maritime boundary and assets and to facilitate search and extraction of marine resources.
The House later sent the bill to the standing committee for further scrutiny.
Placing the bill, the minister had said the proposed law will be enacted through amending the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act 1974.
