Amend law to stop ‘punishment’ at schools: speakers
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) yesterday demanded an amendment to the Children Act, 2013, incorporating a provision to protect children from physical and mental torture they face -- especially in educational institutions -- in the name of punishment.
“Due to an ambiguity in section 70 of the exiting act, taking legal action against culprits involved in physical and mental torture on children are being obstructed in most cases,” claimed advocate Tajul Islam, adviser of advocacy and capacity building of BLAST.
He was presenting a keynote on “Legal protection initiative to end physical and mental torture on children”, at a views-exchange meeting at The Daily Star Centre.
Arguing the importance of the amendment to the act, Tajul said 54 countries in the world have already introduced laws or amended their respective children’s acts to end mental or physical torture.
“In 2015, the United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended Bangladesh to enact laws to stop physical and mental torture on children in the name of punishment,” he added.
In his speech, lawmaker Israfil Alam said many children in remote parts of the country are still being physically or mentally tortured by their parents and teachers.
“Various programmes should be taken to raise awareness among guardians and teachers, aside from laws, to stop such torture,” Israfil, also a member of parliamentary caucus for child rights, recommended.
Priorities should be given to protect children’s rights if the government wants to fulfil SDGs, he added.
The lawmaker urged various NGOs to submit proposals to stop torture on children.
Jesmin Ara begum, a member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said laws should be introduced in line with the socio-economic circumstances of the country.
With BLAST legal adviser SM Rezaul Karim in the chair, the meeting was addressed, among others, by former NHRC member Nurun Nahar Osmani, advocate Khurshid Alam and Social Welfare Ministry Deputy Secretary Khadiza Nazneen.
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