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Navy Journal 2019

bringing many together concerning government response to oil spills. After the
oil spill in Shela River in 2014 a survey was carried out on community people.
Among 120 interviewee 45% mentioned having difficulty in breathing, 20%
reported headache, 20% reported eye burning, 10% reported vomiting and 5%
reported itching. It also endangered many dolphins and other wildlife creating
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huge attention internationally and questioned the preparedness of Bangladesh to
respond oil spill.

Why Need to Protect the Marine Environment
National Obligation

The Constitution of Bangladesh asserts that it is the fundamental responsibility
of the State to protect and conserve her natural environment and ecology through
a planned economic strategy. Although the prime responsibilities to protect
marine environment rests with Department of Environment ( DoE) but as the
main maritime law enforcement agencies at sea, Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG)
is entrusted with the responsibility to search against all activities related to
Marine pollution and take necessary actions to prevent it.
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International and Regional obligations

BD is a party to many international and regional frameworks and the government
has already signed and ratified a good number of treaties and conventions to
check environmental degradation.

MARPOL 73/78. It is considered as the most ambitious treaty ever
adopted to deal with all forms of marine pollution from ships except the
disposal of land generated waste. Under the enforcement provisions it is
said that, State has the primary responsibility to search, resist and response
against Environment Pollution Activities. As per OPRC 1990 convention
of MARPOL 73/78, every oil tanker of 150 tons gross tonnage and above
and every ship other than oil tanker of 400 tons of GT and above shall carry
onboard a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan. 8
UNCLOS. According to article 193 of the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all the member states have the sovereign
right to develop their natural resources in accordance with their duty to
protect and preserve the marine environment.

6. Mr. Atiqur Rahman Sunny, Impact of Oil Spill in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, 18 Oct 201
7. BD Gazette Additional, dated 13 March 2017
8. MARPOL, International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, Liyod’s Registers Rule finder 2005 –version 9.4

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