Nazmul H. S. Chowdhury Presentation on Progress of Implementation of the UN OPCAT in Bangladesh Presented by: Nazmul H. S. Chowdhury National Co-ordination, OPCAT Vice-President, CCHRB On behalf of: Akram H. Chowdhury Founder & Director General, BRCT Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims

Profile of Bangladesh Independence: Demographic Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 following a 9 months-long bloody war with the erstwhile West Pakistan Demographic Population: 149.7 million; Population Density (per km2):1,039 (2004) Muslim (83 %) (Majority) Area: 14,49,985 (thousands of km2) Economic (Source: CIDA and UNFPA) Mixed Economy: Agricultural (Mostly) and Market Based HDI Ranking: 139th of 177 countries (2005) Per-capita Income: $ 344, GNI per capita: 400 US$ (2003) Political (Source: CIDA and UNFPA) Written constitution, Parliamentary Democracy Election supervised by a non-partisan caretaker government Legal system: English common Law Judiciary: higher judiciary is independent but lower courts are under the executive branch of the government - reportedly malfunctioning and corrupt

Present Prison Condition of Bangladesh Prison Establishments Name of division Central Jail District Jail Total Dhaka 4 15 19 Rajshahi 2 14 16 Chittagong 2 9 11 Khulna 1 9 10 Sylhet 1 3 4 Barisal 1 5 6 Total 11 55 66

Central Jails (Division ) 1.Barisal Central Jail 2.Chittagong Central Jail 3.Comilla Central Jail 4.Dhaka (Dhaka) Central Jail 5.Jessore Central Jail 6.Khasimpur (1) Central Jail 7.Khasimpur (2) Central Jail 8.Mymensingh Central Jail 9.Rajshahi Central Jail 10.Rangpur Central Jail 11.Sylhet Central Jail

District Jails Barisal Division (5) Sylhet Division (03) 1.Bhola 2.Borguna 3.Jhalokathi 4.Pirojpur 5.Potuakhaly Sylhet Division (03) 1.Moulovybazar 2.Hobigonj 3.Sunamgonj

Chittagong Division (09) 1.Banderban 2.Brammonbaria 3.Chandpur 4.Cox’s Bazar 5.Feni 6.Khagrachori 7.Laximpur 8.Noakhaly 9.Ranggamati

Dhaka Division (15) 1.Faridpur 2.Gazipur 3. Gopalgonj 4. Jamalpur 5. Kishorgonj 6.Madaripur 7.Manikgonj 8.Munshigonj 9.Narayongonj 10.Norsingdi 11.Nettrokona 12.Rajbari 13.Sherpur 14.Shoriotpur 15.Tanggail

Khulna Division (09) 1.Chuadanga 2.Bagerhut 3.Ghinaidoh 4.Khulna 5.Kushtia 6.Magura 7.Meherpur 8.Narail 9.Satkhira

Rajshahi Division (14) 1.Bogra 2.Dinajpur 3.Gaibandha 4.Joypurhat 5.Lalmonirhat 6.Kurigram 7.Naogaon 8.Sirajgonj 9.Thakurgoan 10.Natore 11.Nilphamari 12.Pabna 13.Chapainababgonj 14.Panchagor

Prison Statistics, 2006 Division Accommodation Prison Population Grand Total   Male Female Dhaka 8559 25429 844 26277 Rajshahi 5377 12829 469 13298 Chittagong and Sylhet 7183 19611 541 20152 Khulna and Barisal 5993 12679 430 13109 Total 27,112 70,548 2,288 72,836

Prison Population, Central Prisons (2006)

Prison Population, District Prisons (2006)

Bangladesh situation from govt. point of view Govt. never provides any information– not in police custody or in jail custody Govt. ratified the UN CAT but torture is not crime in Bangladesh as there is no torture law exists in the country Government did not Ratify the OPCAT According to the current situation, the country’s first need a very constructive ‘Right to Information Act’

Global Status of OPCAT Ratification There are currently 34 States Parties and 34 Signatories* to the Optional Protocol Status of OPCAT in Bangladesh Not Ratified, even not signatory

Name of the project “Ratification and implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines”

Activities Done by BRCT in 2007 Joining the 1st Regional Meeting at Hong Kong Draft Plan of Action 2007 for BRCT was presented by the Director General, BRCT

Joining the 2nd Regional Meeting at Philippine Draft of Action Plan presented by Nazmul H. S. Chowdhury, National Coordinator OPCAT

Established National Network (NN) around the country involving- 31 TFTs and networks of the rest of 33 districts 46 Victims associations in southern part of the country (Khulna Division) Other human rights organizations Individual potential professionals

Few information on the National Network Bangladesh and BRCT’s TFT districts (31 out of 64)

Few information on the National Network Bangladesh and BRCT’s VAs (46 in 10 districts)

Other Human Rights Organizations, Network members & individual professionals Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), Dhaka Bangladesh Para-legal Training Services (PTSC), Dhaka Manob Unnayan Kendra (MUK), Meherpur Human Rights Development Project, HRDP, Satkhira Naogaon Human Rights Development Associations Human Rights Development Project, HRDP, Khulna Individual professionals Lawyer Journalist Cultural activist Social worker Retd. Govt. Officials etc.

Pictorial View BRCT’s Founder & Director General Akram H. Chowdhury gives his speech on the closing ceremony of establishing national network

Pictorial view of National Network (NN)

Outcome of establishing NN The participants were agreed to work together for the ratification of OPCAT for preventing torture in the prison centers in Bangladesh. They were also agreed to exchange the views of OPCAT with the govt. officials and other professionals body and organize street drama at their respective districts and would distribute the materials among the mass people for creating awareness for the ratification of OPCAT and establishing Right to information Act.

The NN conducted view exchange on OPCAT, Organized Street Drama and distributed the campaign materials in their respective areas with - Govt. Officials Deputy Commissioner (D.C) Superintend of Police (S.P) Jail Superintend/Jailor Staffs of judicial Other’s professional Associations Lawyers Journalists Teachers Doctors Cultural Activist Political Person Social Worker

View Exchange Meeting with Government Officials by NN Md. Safiqul Islam & Nur Mohammed, First Class magistrate, Judge court in Naogaon District Md. Matiur Rahman, Superintend of Police, Satkhira Khan Sayeed Hasan, Police Commssioner, Khulna Metropolitan Police

Pictorial View After Meeting Posed for Photo Session

View Exchange Meeting with Different Professionals by NN Bar Association in Naogaon, Rajshahi, Natore, Chapai Nowabgong, Lalmunirhat, Joypurhat, Pabna,Nilphamari, Dinajpur,Gaibandha district Press club in Panchagar,Joypurhat,Natore, Naogaon,Dinajpur district NGO activist in Panchagar, Lalmunirhat, Natore,Chapai Nawabgong, Bogra district

Pictorial View Meeting with Deferent Professional by NN

Pictorial View Meeting with Deferent Professional by NN

Outcome A few of the participants knew about the CAT but none of them knew about the UN instrument- OPCAT. After the VE, all of them were similar in their opinion and mentioned that it would really very important for ensuring the rights of the prisoners in the prison centers if the govt. would ratify this very important UN instrument. They were motivated to work for the ratification of OPCAT through creating pressure on the authority and expressed their willingness to join the movement towards the ratification of OPCAT.

Organized Street Drama by NN Organized street drama to create public Awareness among the mass people regarding to OPCAT & Rights to information Act in Natore Naogaon Rajshahi Chapai Nowabgonj Thakurgaon Pabna district .

Pictorial View of Street Drama

Pictorial View of Street Drama

News Clipping on Street Drama

View Exchange Meeting with diplomats by National Coordinator Anower Chowdhury, High Commissioner, UK Dr. Stefan Frowein, Ambassador, EU and Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh. Enar H. Jensen, Ambassador, Royal Danish Embassy

Pictorial View Meeting with British High Commissioner

Pictorial View Meeting with EU Ambassador

Pictorial View Meeting with Danish Ambassador

Pictorial View Meeting with Danish Mission

Outcome They assured that they would help us to continue or movement and also assured that they would request the concerned authority to ratify the OPCAT.

View Exchange Meeting With Gov’t Officials by NC Mohammed Anwarul Iqbal, B.P.M (Bar)P.P.M, Adviser, Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Co-operatives and Ministry of Labour and Employment. Md. Alauddin, Director, NGO Affairs Bureau Shoyeb Ahmed, Assistant Inspector General of Police Gazi A.K.M.Fazlul Haque, Deputy Director (law), Privatization Commissio, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Adv. Munsur Habib, Deputy Attorney General of Bangladesh

Meeting With Gov’t High Official Pictorial View Meeting With Gov’t High Official

Out Come Most of the official informed that it was the first time they knew about it. They even never heard about the OPCAT and mentioned that it would be really very helpful for the reformation of jail or to develop the present situation of prison centers if the govt. ratifies this UN instrument. It was also came out that the existing jail code is basically not for the correction or rehabilitation of the prisoners, rather to punish them. From this point of view, they added that if there were bodies that regularly could visit the prison centers, certainly it would an effective tool for prevention of torture and prevent corruptions inside the jails.

Pictorial View Meeting with NN members by NC

View Exchange Meeting with Political Persons Adv. Shahara Khatun, Law Secretary Bangladesh Awami league Central Committee. Adv. Mojibur Rahman, Law Secretary, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Sabar Hosan Chowdhury, Organizing Secretary, Bangladesh Awami league and political secretary to Sheikh Hasina. Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed,Organizing Secretary, Bangladesh Awami League Abdul Matian Khasru, Former Law Minister of Bangladesh Government G.M. Kader, Former M.P & Organizing Secretary, Jatio Party

Pictorial View View Exchange Meeting with Law secretary of AL

Out Come All of the Political Person were unknown about the OPCAT and after being inform about this they agreed to present it to their forum. They also assured that if they come at power they would thy to ratified it. Further more most of them expressed their willingness to be member of National Committee. They also realize the need of Rights to information Act and agreed to present this to their concern authority

View Exchange with Professional Group & Social worker Barrister M. Amirul Islam, President Supreme Court Bar Association,Dhaka,Bangladesh. M. Amin Uddin, Secretary, Supreme Court Bar Association, Dhaka, Bangladesh 3.Abdul Mannan Khan, Vice President, Supreme Court Bar Association, Bangladesh Out come They agreed to jointly organized programme regarding to ratifying OPCAT

Meeting with Vice President of Supreme Court Bar Association Pictorial View Meeting with Vice President of Supreme Court Bar Association

Organized National Seminar National Seminar on 10 December 2007

Organized Signature Campaign regarding to Ratifying OPCAT

Integration of Ex Prison & Police Officials Md. Liyakat Ali, Former Inspector general of Prison (IG-Prison;s) Nazrul Islam, Former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Out Come They would provide us all kind of information in Jail custody as well as police custody

BRCT’s Campaign Publication Book on Translation of OPCAT Translation by the external expert Books published

Campaign materials Sticker published on 10 December ‘07

Campaign materials Handbill/Leaflet Published on 10 Dec. ‘07

Campaign materials Poster Publish on 10 December ’07 Distributed among the National Network Poster Publish on 10 December ’07

Conducting Survey on prison centers Data collection is going on from – Immediate released prisoner Non-govt. jail visitor Jail authorities Preliminary Findings: Each and every prison centers are corrupted. The beds of hospitals inside the jail are sold for earning money. The sick people never received any support from the hospitals. Every things including drugs and other goods for addiction are available inside the jail by money. For torture, causes are not essentials, money plays big role to escape mishandle or misconduct. Most of the non-govt. jail visitors were appointed politically and they never make any visit independently. They used this position for increasing their ‘social & personal image’ and never made any critical report for losing this position. Collecting data from jail authorities is a big challenge.

Article Published Numbers of articles written by the DG and advertisements have been published in the daily popular newspapers on OPCAT Human Rights for the Prisoners Come forward, not only talk on human rights in jails but also work for establishing human rights’ of the prisoners (1st – 10th episode) Includes message on OPCAT ` Together Against Torture’ Outcome All the articles were widely published in the newspapers and BRCT received very positive comments from the readers.

What should be included in the ongoing campaign for the ratification of OPCAT Campaign for an effective Information Act Right to know and to get information on ‘what is happening inside the prison centers Campaign for mobilization of Legal Aid fund Creating mass awareness among the stakeholders Campaign for Jail Reform Act Legal empowerment of the prisoner’s family

Recommendation Rights to information is very important for the interest of OPCAT There is no scope to have the information access in jail custody in Bangladesh, so we need ratify the OPCAT. As the Chief Guest committed to the participants of audience to promote the cause of ratification of OPCAT, National Coordinator OPCAT, BRCT will pursue the matter

Recommendation To facilitated more awareness program on Rights to Information as Human Rights. To coordinated and disseminated on Human Rights and Information Rights issues with the all professional groups. To focused information rights for the ratification of OPCAT. To organized advocacy and lobby for Information Act and ratification of OPCAT

Difficulties faced Country now is an ‘Emergency’ No approval of the project from the govt. Lengthy procedure Lack of motivation of the concern authority on OPCAT Funds has been arranged by the Executive body as loan (But we have already over come its) Country now is an ‘Emergency’ Shortage of manpower for carrying out all the activities. Lack of primary information in jail

Time for sharing your experiences and expertise in this field THANKS ALL OF YOU Time for sharing your experiences and expertise in this field