Relevant circumstances
275. Having drawn the provisional equidistance line, the Tribunal will now
consider whether there are factors in the present case that may be considered
relevant circumstances, calling for an adjustment of that line with a view to
achieving an equitable solution. The Tribunal notes in this regard that the
Parties differ on the issue of relevant circumstances.
276. Bangladesh points out three main geographical and geological features
that characterize the present case and are relevant to the delimitation in
question. The first of these is the “concave shape of Bangladesh’s coastline”,
extending from the land boundary terminus with India in the west to the land
boundary terminus with Myanmar in the east. The Bangladesh coast is further
marked by “a second concavity, that is a concavity within the overall concavity
of its coastline”. The second major geographical feature is St. Martin’s Island,
a significant coastal island lying within 5 nm of the Bangladesh mainland. The
third major distinguishing feature is the Bengal depositional system, which
comprises “both the landmass of Bangladesh and its uninterrupted geological
prolongation into and throughout the Bay of Bengal”.