Bangladesh paves way to compensation for victims of enforced disappearances, torture

The government lifts a key restriction linked to a UN human rights convention, allowing victims to seek compensation and rehabilitation

The interim government has taken a key step towards allowing compensation and rehabilitation for victims of torture and enforced disappearance by withdrawing a long-standing declaration linked to a United Nations anti-torture treaty.

The decision, approved on Thursday at a meeting of the Advisory Council chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, relates to Article 14(1) of the UN Convention against Torture, which guarantees victims the right to redress and compensation, the Chief Advisor's Office (CAO) said in a statement.

Bangladesh ratified the convention in 1998 but, along with a handful of other countries, entered a reservation limiting the application of the article. As a result, victims of state-led torture or enforced disappearance have been unable to effectively claim compensation and rehabilitation.

Government officials said the withdrawal of the declaration would allow those victims to seek redress, including compensation for dependants in cases where the victim has died.

The CAO described the move as historic, saying it would strengthen Bangladesh’s international human rights standing and improve accountability and transparency within the state.

The Convention against Torture was adopted in 1984 and has been ratified by 173 countries.

Human rights activists in Bangladesh have long called for the withdrawal of the reservation, arguing it has prevented justice for victims for nearly two decades.

NEW DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN GUYANA

The Advisory Council also approved the establishment of a new Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, at the level of chargé d’affaires or first secretary.

Officials said the mission would be staffed by personnel drawn from existing Bangladeshi embassies and missions.

Guyana is currently among the world’s fastest-growing economies, recording growth of around 50 percent last year. The government said the move was aimed at expanding Bangladesh’s access to the country’s rapidly growing labour market and strengthening economic and workforce cooperation.

HAGUE CONVENTION ON CHILD ABDUCTION

The council approved a proposal for Bangladesh to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The CAO said the decision was intended to address legal complications faced by Bangladeshi families abroad, particularly in cases involving separation and disputes over child custody, maintenance and visitation rights.