There is no room to withdraw the death penalty, says Asif Nazrul after a meeting with Volker Turk

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk today urged the interim government to repeal the existing death penalty in Bangladesh, but there is no room for that, legal adviser Asif Nazrul said today.

“We said that under the current circumstances there is no room to revoke death sentences. The Criminal Code provides for the death penalty. There is no room to change it suddenly,” he told reporters after meeting Turk at the secretariat. .

During the meeting, the Human Rights Chief spoke about establishing the rule of law and human rights, which are closely linked, and ensuring human rights in all reform initiatives.

Turk told the media that he had asked for the strengthening of the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission to enforce human rights in the country.

He also said that the UN fact-finding mission attaches sufficient importance to the human rights violations committed during the student-led protests in July and August.

The UN headquarters is overseeing the whole thing, he said.

Turk arrived in Dhaka early today on a two-day visit and held meetings with Nazrul and Home Advisor Lt. Gen. (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and the students of Dhaka University.

He will meet here with the Chief Counsel, the Chief Justice, the Army Chief, the heads of various reform commissions, civil society groups, UN agencies and members of diplomatic missions.

Volker Turk wanted to know more about the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973, the legal advisor said.

The UN calls for a global repeal of the death penalty, but only a few countries have repealed it, he added. This is their commitment and they will speak about this, but no government of Bangladesh has revoked the death sentence in the past, Nazrul said.

“There is no question of abolishing the death sentence in connection with the trial against the fascist government that murdered thousands of students,” he said.

The accused in the cases under the IT Act will be given all legal rights to defend themselves, Nazrul said.

Volker Turk has asked for the draft of the changes to the ICT law, which the government will provide.

Another priority of the UN human rights chief was for Bangladesh to have an independent judiciary.

“We said we have started reforms of the judiciary. Turk has expressed his satisfaction with the reform initiatives,” Nazrul said.

Nazrul said the government can take forensic or technical support from the UN and stressed that there will be no injustice like in the past.