Monday, May 19, 2003
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By Haroon Habib
It alleged widespread violation of various human rights treaties and conventions ratified by Bangladesh and called upon the Government to respect such undertakings. Releasing a new report, "Bangladesh: Urgent need for legal and other reforms to protect human rights,'' Amnesty said Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Special Powers Act allowed the authorities under successive governments to violate human rights with impunity. ``As a result of these two laws, thousands of people are arbitrarily detained every year and many are tortured. It is high time for the current Government to take action," said the international human rights watchdog. The report highlights the human rights violations arising out of the use of the Special Powers Act and Section 54 of Code of Criminal Procedure. It observed that for decades successive Governments in Bangladesh had failed to curb serious human rights violations arising from the use of the legislation and widespread practices in the law-enforcement and justice system, which violate international human rights standards. These violations include torture, deaths in custody, arbitrary detention of Government opponents and others, excessive use of force leading at times to extra-judicial executions, the death penalty, attacks against members of minority groups and violence against women. It said the Special Powers Act allows arbitrary detention for long periods of time without charge. It circumvents the rules of evidence and usual standard of proof in the criminal justice system, leaving individuals at the risk of being punished without trial. Section 54 facilitates torture in custody, the report stated. ``The Government of Bangladesh must not detain people whom it does not intend to prosecute for recognisable criminal offences. It must repeal the Special Powers Act immediately,'' the report emphasised.
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