# CE2004070EN.01020401.xml

| 20.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 70/204 |
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20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 70/204

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(2004/C 70 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3046/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(17 October 2003)

Subject:   Human rights in Bangladesh

Subject:

Despite the Commission's continual monitoring of political developments in Bangladesh, through its Delegation in Dhaka and various other initiatives, it has been brought to my attention that human rights violations continue.

Previous cases of politically motivated attacks, reported over a year ago, were understood to be the result of a temporary ‘power vacuum,’ before the new government could fully establish itself. However, such attacks, arrests and torture of human rights activists and opposition politicians persist.

Can the Commission please detail what progress, if any, has been made to address the human rights situation in Bangladesh?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2003)

(18 November 2003)

The Commission shares the views of the Honourable Member, that Operation Clean Heart has failed to achieve its objectives and that the human rights situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated in the course of 2003. The Commission is particularly concerned about the following developments: the law and order situation is deteriorating, as illustrated by endemic criminality and the inability of the police to respond in an appropriate manner. The nexus between the police, criminals and certain politicians is particularly worrying. Tribal tensions are growing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, in the absence of progress on the implementation of the 1997 Peace Agreement. The situation of minorities, especially in this region, is precarious, as demonstrated by violent incidents in Mahalchari on 26 August 2003. Death sentences have been handed down at disturbingly high rates. There is still little progress on the separation of the judiciary and the executive and the establishment of independent monitoring institutions, notably the Anti Corruption Commission, the Human Rights Commission and the Ombudsman.

The Commission has expressed strong concerns about the situation to the Government on several occasions. In addition the Commission's Delegation in Dhaka maintains a continuous dialogue on governance and human rights issues with senior interlocutors in the Government. In its recently established human rights dialogue, the Commission has addressed a wide range of issues including separation of the judiciary from the executive, investigation of custodial deaths, torture, status of the Anti Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission, Ombudsman, freedom of press and the situation of the Burmese refugees. The Commission continues to make every effort to maintain the discussion with the Bangladesh Government and hopes to identify areas were it can co-operate jointly on the promotion and improvement of the Human Rights situation. To date, the Commission has supported several Human Rights projects through the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and intends to continue support in the context of the National Indicative Programme.

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