Establish a national mechanism to prevent torture

A workshop on preventing torture in Bangladesh, with a call to establish a national preventive mechanism in line with international standards, was held at Jahangirnagar University (JU) on Monday.
The programme, titled "Workshop on Ending Torture in Bangladesh," was jointly organised by the Faculty of Law of JU in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General of Bangladesh.
The workshop focused on "Building a National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) and the Istanbul Protocol."
The session was chaired by Professor Dr Md Robiul Islam, dean of the Faculty of Law, while Barrister Tasnuva Shelley, programme Director of the UNDP-AGO Internship Programme, presented the keynote paper.
Addressing the workshop, Barrister Shelley said, "Although Bangladesh's Constitution contains several provisions against torture, there is still a lack of effective implementation. Women continue to face different forms of torture and violence, many of which remain unreported."
She added, "Our young people have the capacity to bring positive change. Don't compromise on the rights of human beings, women and children."
Highlighting the need for legal reforms, she said, "Bangladesh needs a strong legal and institutional framework to prevent torture in line with international standards. Effective implementation of OPCAT and the Istanbul Protocol would significantly strengthen the country's human rights protection and the rule of law."
Speaking as the chair, Professor Dr Md Robiul Islam said, "The state was originally established to protect its citizens. But over time, the state itself has, in many cases, become a source of torture against its own people."
Referring to allegations of enforced disappearances, he said, "Members of different state agencies often come at night without nameplates, making them difficult to identify. They take people away, which is a form of abduction."
He also referred to the reported push-ins from India, saying, "Many of those forcibly pushed into Bangladesh suffered days of hunger and hardship."

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