The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1974

( ACT NO. XXVI OF 1974 )

An Act to provide for the declaration of the territorial waters and maritime zones.

 
 
 

WHEREAS clause (2) of Article 143 of the Constitution provides that Parliament may, from time to time, by law provide for the determination of the territorial waters and the continental shelf of Bangladesh;

 
 
 
 

AND WHEREAS it is necessary to provide for the declaration of the territorial waters, continental shelf and other maritime zones and for matter ancillary thereto;

 
 
 
 

It is hereby enacted as follows:-

 
 
 

CONTENTS

SECTIONS

1.Short title

2.Definitions

2A. Act to override other laws

2B. Extraterritorial application of the Act

2C. Territorial Sea Baseline (TSB)

2D. Sovereignty over Internal Waters, etc

2E. Historic Waters

3. Territorial Sea

3A. Rights of Innocent Passage in the Territorial Sea

3B. Criminal jurisdiction over a foreign ship in the Territorial Sea, etc

3C. Civil jurisdiction over a foreign ship in the Territorial Sea, etc

4. Contiguous Zone

5. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

5A. Prohibition on the exploration or exploitation in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), etc

6.

7. Continental Shelf

7A. Rights and jurisdiction in the Continental Shelf

7B. Prohibition on the exploration or exploitation in the Continental Shelf

7C. Provisions as to the High Seas

7D. Area and its resources

7E. Ocean Governance

7F. Blue Economy

7G. Maritime cooperation

7H. Marine scientific research

8. Control of pollution

9. Suppression of piracy, armed robbery, theft and maritime terrorism at sea

10. Trafficking in persons by sea

11. Right of visit of a ship

12. Arrest and seizure of pirate ship or aircraft, etc

13. Jurisdiction over a ship

14. Extradition

15. Punishment for violation of innocent passage

16. Punishment for contravention of law by submarine or any other underwater vehicle

17. Punishment for throwing nuclear or hazardous wastes

18. Punishment for offence in Contiguous Zone

19. Punishment for offences in Exclusive Economic Zone

20. Punishment for offences in the Continental Shelf

21. Punishment for breaking or injuring a submarine cable, telegraphic or telephonic communications, etc

22. Punishment for pollution

23. Punishment for failure to take measures to prevent pollution

24. Punishment for piracy, armed robbery, maritime terrorism at sea and theft

25. Punishment for causing death while committing an offence under section 24

26. Presumption of offence

27. Establishment of Maritime Tribunal

28. Power to investigate offence

29. Evidentiary value of pictures, electronic records, etc

30. Cognizance of offence

31. Provisions as to bail

32. Time limit for disposal of a case

33. Power of the Tribunal

34. Appeal

35. Power to make rules

36. Power to Publish Authentic Bangla Text