CAT/C/BGD/CO/1
(e)
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, in 2000;
(f)
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornography, in 2000;
(g)
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict, in 2000;
(h)
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in 2007;
(i)
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities, in 2008;
(j)
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, in 2010;
(k)
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant
Workers and Members of Their Families, in 2011.
5.
The Committee also welcomes the State party’s initiatives to revise its legislation in
areas of relevance to the Convention, including the adoption of:
(a)
The Prevention of Cruelty to Women and Children Act, in 2000;
(b)
The Legal Aid Services Act, in 2000;
(c)
The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, in 2010;
(d)
The Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, in 2012;
(e)
The Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, in 2013;
(f)
The Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act, in 2013;
(g)
Amendments to the Children Act providing for punitive measures against
offenders for any kind of physical punishment of children, in 2013;
(h)
The Dowry Prohibition Act, in 2018.
6.
The Committee welcomes the initiatives of the State party to amend its policies,
programmes and administrative measures to give effect to the Convention, including:
(a)
The creation of committees on the prevention of violence against women and
children at the district, upazila and union level; the drawing up of the multisectoral
programme on violence against women by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs;
and the issuance in writ petition No. 5916 of directives laying down safeguard measures
against the sexual harassment of women in educational institutions and workplaces, in 2008;
(b)
Creation of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh, in 2009;
(c)
Issuance by the Supreme Court in writ petition No. 5684 of directives to stop
all forms of corporal punishment in primary and secondary educational institutions, in 2010;
(d)
Issuance by the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh of
15 directives on safeguard measures to be followed in the case of arrest without warrant,
detention, remand and treatment of arrested persons by law enforcement agencies; and the
subsequent issuance of guidelines by the Supreme Court to be followed by magistrates and
the police in respect of the arrest, detention, investigation and treatment of accused persons,
in 2016.
C.
Principal subjects of concern and recommendations
Allegations of widespread use of torture and ill-treatment
7.
While welcoming the State party’s constitutional provisions providing for the
protection of any person against torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or
treatment and the State party’s adoption of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention)
Act in 2013, the Committee is concerned at information it has received alleging the
widespread and routine commission of torture and ill-treatment in the State party by law
2