1. 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

2. 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: 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

3. Present Prison Condition of Bangladesh
Prison Establishments
Name of division Central Jail District Jail Total
Dhaka
Rajshahi
Chittagong
Khulna
Sylhet
Barisal
Total

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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

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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Prison Population, Central Prisons (2006)

12. Prison Population, District Prisons (2006)

13. 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’

14. 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

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

16. 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

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

18. 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

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

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

21. 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.

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

23. Pictorial view of National Network (NN)

24. 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.

25. 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

26. 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

27. Pictorial View
After Meeting Posed for Photo Session

28. 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

29. Pictorial View
Meeting with Deferent Professional by NN

30. Pictorial View
Meeting with Deferent Professional by NN

31. 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.

32. 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 .

33. Pictorial View of Street Drama

34. Pictorial View of Street Drama

35. News Clipping on Street Drama

36. 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

37. Pictorial View
Meeting with British High Commissioner

38. Pictorial View
Meeting with EU Ambassador

39. Pictorial View
Meeting with Danish Ambassador

40. Pictorial View
Meeting with Danish Mission

41. 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.

42. 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

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

44. 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.

45. Pictorial View
Meeting with NN members by NC

46. 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

47. Pictorial View
View Exchange Meeting with Law secretary of AL

48. 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

49. 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

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

51. Organized National Seminar
National Seminar on 10 December 2007

52. Organized Signature Campaign regarding to Ratifying OPCAT

53. 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

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

55. Campaign materials
Sticker published on 10 December ‘07

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

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

58. 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.

59. 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.

60. 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

61. 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

62. 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

63. 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

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