•
Improving the inter-agency relationships among district administration, police, RAB,
BGB, intelligence, Ansar, Fire Service and Civil Defence, etc.
CHT Affairs
42.
As already mentioned earlier, the Commission, soon after its appointment, visited
Khagrachari, Bandarban and Rangamati districts in the CHT from 16-19 January of 2023
intending to physically observe the human rights situation and find ways to solve problems
there. In this course, the Commission visited several places, exchanged views with the local
peoples and administrations, and held a public hearing. The Commission is of the view that
despite the complex situation in the CHT districts, the ethnic communities and Bengalees
want to live peacefully with human dignity. This can be achieved by concerted efforts from
all concerned. For this reason, regular consultations should be held among the different
stakeholders to minimise any differences and build mutual trust. The Commission notes that
the land dispute problem is a perennial in the CHT which needs to be resolved immediately.
Additionally, the Commission thinks that for full implementation of the CHT Accord,
universal education should be ensured in the mother tongues of the hill population, economic
and social rights should be ensured on an equal basis and all incidents of human rights
violations in the CHT should be promptly investigated, published and acted upon.
Periodic Report to the CERD and Adoption of the Anti-discrimination Bill
43.
The Commission reminds that Bangladesh became a party to the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by accession on 11
June 1979. The government did not submit any periodic report to the Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) after the year 2000.
44.
While the drafting of a law safeguarding the rights and protection of transgender
persons is underway, the Commission is concerned that the much-promised AntiDiscrimination law has not yet been passed. Individual complaints regarding discrimination
on the grounds of being Dalit, Harijan,Hijra etc received and addressed by the Commission
during 2018-2022 are as follows:
Types of
Complaints
Received
Discrimination on
the grounds of being
Dalit, Harijan, Hijra
etc
45.
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
03
02
00
05
04
In light of the foregoing, the Commission recommends the government:
•
submit an updated periodic report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination;
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