Third and Fourth Periodic Report on CRC - Unicef

<strong>Third</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>Periodic</strong> <strong>Report</strong>
9.2 Involvement of children in armed conflict
Bangladesh has signed <strong>and</strong> ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Involvement of Children in
Armed Conflict (ICAC) on 6 September 2000. The initial report by the State Party on the status of the
implementation of the ICAC was submitted on 27 January 2004. The Concluding Observations <strong>and</strong>
Recommendations on the Initial <strong>Report</strong> of Bangladesh on the Optional Protocol to the CRC
(CRC/C/OPAC/BGD/1) at UN Committee’s 1083th meeting held on 9 January, 2006 <strong>and</strong> adopted at its 1120th
meeting, <strong>and</strong> responses by the State Party to the issues raised by the Committee on the initial report as well as
the Concluding Observations dated 27 January, 2006, have been taken into consideration in different sections
of this <strong>Periodic</strong> <strong>Report</strong>.
The State Party reiterates that the minimum age for recruitment <strong>and</strong> deployment in all branches of law
enforcement <strong>and</strong> defence is in conformity with the Optional Protocol <strong>and</strong> there is clear government direction in
this regard. The Government need not have a separate legislation in this respect.
The Government is working towards better coordination of children’s activities <strong>and</strong> MoWCA has proved this
through timely submission of all recent child-related international reports, preparation of the NPA for Children,
NPA SEACT, children’s section in the PRSP <strong>and</strong> National MDG <strong>Report</strong>, 2005 in a participatory manner. Effective
children’s participation was ensured in all these events. NGOs <strong>and</strong> international organizations have been
included in the CRC St<strong>and</strong>ing Committee <strong>and</strong> this enabled non-government entities to provide inputs into all
important processes. Stakeholder participation in major activities is regularly ensured through consultation
meetings <strong>and</strong> workshops.
With regard to the consent of parents or legal guardians for the recruitment of under-18, the State Party does
not think it is necessary since the actual induction of persons in different forces are done only when the person
attains the age of 18. The training period is not considered to be the service period <strong>and</strong> not a violation of the
provisions of the Optional Protocol.
The State Party does not believe that there are a any major issues around possible military training that children
undergo in any part of the country including the "madrasahs". This is illegal as per the law of the l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> the
government takes stern actions against anyone found involved in this kind of activities. Recently, the
government tried a number of persons involved in these activities <strong>and</strong> gave the highest punishment, death
sentence, to them which was also carried out. The government maintains strict vigilance against any such
activities to happen in future.
Children who were involved in Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict long ago are all adults by now. Since the CHT
Peace Accord was adopted, there is no more insurgency in the area <strong>and</strong> all arms <strong>and</strong> ammunitions were
confiscated. The Government is still working to maintain peace in the area. There is no more any fighting in the
area <strong>and</strong> though some arms are still found in some small pockets are believed to be procured more recently
<strong>and</strong> used for other purposes. The State Party does not believe that there is any point around disarmament,
demobilization <strong>and</strong> social reintegration of victims in CHT.
The State Party is working very seriously to unearth small arms <strong>and</strong> light weapons <strong>and</strong> in recent years, the
report of use of these has gone down. The present government has arrested a good number of political activists
who possessed unlicensed weapons <strong>and</strong> cases have been lodged <strong>and</strong> sentences have been given to many of
them. The crack down on corruption, black money <strong>and</strong> unauthorised use of government property have shown
positive results in the country <strong>and</strong> this will help reduce use of small arms in the country.
The Government has taken initiatives in disseminating the CRC, Optional Protocols, Concluding Observations
<strong>and</strong> written reports to a wider audience including the army, educational institutions, the Parliament <strong>and</strong> the
NGOs.
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