Bangladesh and Myanmar yesterday agreed to compromise to resolve a long-standing maritime border dispute in the Bay of Bengal

The lack of a clear boundary had caused tensions between the two neighbours over offshore hydrocarbon exploration in the bay in 2008.

“We have decided to demarcate the maritime boundary in a process combining the principle of equity and principle of equal distance,” Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Khurshid Alam told reporters at the end of two-day talks between Dhaka and Yangon over sea boundary demarcation.

A technical team comprising maritime experts will finalise the process, he said — with their conclusions discussed in the next round of talks to be held sometime in April this year in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint, who led a 13-member delegation at the discussion, termed the meeting fruitful.

“We all are happy with the discussion and hopeful of resolving the matter through bilateral talks,” he said, adding the long-standing gap between both the countries had been narrowed down significantly.

The row has seen Bangladesh emphasise demarcation of the territorial waters on the principle of equity while Myanmar pressed for demarcation on the principle of equidistance.

This was the first meeting since Bangladesh called on the UN Arbitration Court in October last year to resolve the dispute.