29 April 2026
Consultation with UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Calls for Stronger Enforcement and Legal Reform
On Tuesday, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), in collaboration with REDRESS, the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), and the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), convened a consultation with UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Dr. Alice Edwards on strengthening prevention and accountability frameworks for torture in Bangladesh, bringing together national and international experts.
Opening the session, Sara Hossain, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court and Honorary Executive Director of BLAST stressed the need for a historical lens in addressing torture. She highlighted practical challenges in applying, amending, and implementing laws, while noting emerging opportunities, including Bangladesh’s recent ratification of key international human rights treaties such as the Convention on Enforced Disappearance and OPCAT. She situated these developments within long-standing demands for justice and reparations, from before independence through the Liberation War, and their reflection in the Constitution’s prohibition of torture.
Dr. Alice Edwards framed the discussion by calling for a survivor-centred, prevention-focused approach anchored in robust legal and institutional frameworks aligned with international standards.
Nid Satjipanon of APT introduced the Méndez Principles as a framework for improving interrogation practices and safeguarding due process while Ameera Naeem, Director of the National Preventive Mechanism in the Maldives, discussed the role of National Human Rights Institutions acting as National Preventive Mechanisms for regular monitoring and documentation of detention facilities in reducing severe abuse.
Barrister Priya Ahsan Chowdhury, Supreme Court Advocate, presented a critical analysis of gaps in law and practice in Bangladesh, highlighting weak custodial safeguards, limited independent investigations, judicial delays, and significantly inadequate compensation and delayed realisation, urging stronger enforcement of laws and legal and institutional reforms.
The consultation featured expert insights from key stakeholders:
Supreme Court Advocates, Manzur Al Matin reinforced that constitutional protections remain ineffective without implementation, while Abdullah Al Noman, stressed that torture must be understood in line with the UNCAT, covering both physical and mental harm, and called for stronger domestic enforcement. Advocate Suman Monir also raised concerns about delays in justice delivery and problematic law enforcement practices.
Civil society voices underscored the human impact and accountability gap. Farhana Sharmin Emu of Visionary Voyage noted that many survivors remain outside formal support systems, while Sanjida Islam Tuli of Mayer Daak emphasised the gap between legislation and lived reality, urging prioritisation of enforcement. Shireen Pervin Huq Founding Member of Naripokkho, drew parallels between historical and contemporary sexual violence, highlighting ongoing stigma of the Birangonas and the need for scientific evidence, accountability, and recognition of custodial abuse, including its increasingly complex manifestations involving state and non-state actors. Aaqib Md Shatil of Netra News stressed the importance of strategic media engagement in strengthening public accountability, while human rights activist Moshfiqur Rahman Johan emphasised that torture remains a systemic human rights crisis requiring urgent action. Zyma Islam of The Daily Star highlighted the difficulty of securing victim testimony, often leaving cases dependent on, leaving cases reliant on family testimony.
Badiuzzaman Tapader, Deputy Attorney General, pointed to legal loopholes, weak coordination among stakeholders, and structural deficiencies, warning that prolonged judicial processes can amount to “judicial torture.”
Md. Kabir Uddin Pramanik, Joint Secretary of the Law and Justice Division, stressed the need for judicial and institutional independence, a rights-based judicial mindset, and stronger decision-making practices within courts.
Md. Mahbubul Alam, MP called for modern interrogation models, legal representation during questioning, and audio-video recording of interrogations, urging a shift from confession-based to evidence-based investigations.
Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem, MP stressed that without proper checks and balances within the state, safeguards cannot function effectively.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Alice Edwards emphasised that preventing torture requires a comprehensive strategy addressing root causes, including limited use of alternative investigative methods and weak forensic capacity. She called for clear anti-torture protocols and targeted training for judges, magistrates, and law enforcement officials.
Concluding the event, Sara Hossain noted that despite progress, meaningful change remains limited, urging state institutions, civil society, and parliamentarians to work together to address persistent gaps.
Moderating the session, Dr. Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka, in conclusion underscored the need for legal and institutional reform alongside stronger data collection and documentation.
For further information, please contact:
Communication Department, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust
E-mail: communication@blast.org.bd