A/HRC/11/L.10
page 73
been separated from the executive, it noted that the Government had amended its code of
criminal procedure of 1898 to allow “executive magistrates” to take control of any trial they
deemed fit, which, in practice, was an obstruction to judicial independence. The Centre was
deeply disappointed that Bangladesh had not accepted recommendation 12 and indicated that
Bangladesh must ensure visits of three special rapporteurs, as a priority, and extend invitations to
all other mandates.
294. Action Canada for Population and Development requested that Bangladesh incorporate
into its law enforcement training programme issues of the transgender community.
Acknowledging Bangladesh’s acceptance of recommendations 6 and 7 of the universal periodic
review, it requested that the Government create a special gender and sexual minority cell within
the national human rights commission. With regard to recommendation 18 on vulnerable groups,
it called upon Bangladesh to regard men and women attracted to the same sex living in poverty,
intersex, Hijra and Kothi as special groups and bring them into safety net packages. On
recommendation 23 on the setting up of a national plan of action against sexual abuse, it
requested that Bangladesh take into consideration the particular vulnerabilities of intersex and
“effeminate” children, the violence they faced in schools and the traumatic effects this violence
had on their lives.
295. The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs raised concerns about the situation of
indigenous peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It noted that the Government of Bangladesh
had expressed its sincere intention to implement fully the Chittagong Hill Tracts peace accord. It
referred to recommendation 34 and the particular importance of resolving the land disputes with
effectiveness and justice by amending the Land Dispute Commission Act of 2001 and by having
the land disputes resolution commission resume its work and by initiating a viable process of
voluntary relocation of government-sponsored Bengali settlers from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
It was also important to expedite the withdrawal of hundreds of temporary military camps, and to
facilitate normal civil administration by transferring all the agreed subjects and functions to the
Hill District Councils with immediate effect, taking all the necessary steps to ensure the full
functioning of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council.
296. The International Human Rights Association of American Minorities noted that the 2008
elections were promising and the establishment of the human rights commission offered some
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