Life sentence for custodial death, torture convicts

The Jatiya Sangsad yesterday passed a bill having a provision of life sentence for law enforcers, armed forces members or government officials convicted of custodial deaths, torture and cruel and inhumane treatment.
The House passed another bill that makes it mandatory for children to take care of their parents at home or, if they do not live together, provide them at least 10 percent of their income and has a provision for jailing violators.
Awami League lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury proposed the passage of the former bill on the prevention of custodial deaths and tortures passed by voice vote.
The accused will be suspended from service during investigations over the charges, says the law.
The accused will not be able to justify their acts citing exceptional circumstances, including a state of war, internal political instability, a state of emergency, or order of a superior officer or a public authority, it says.
The bill was placed a few months after the current parliament had first sat in 2009. It was drafted to conform to the UN convention against torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, adopted on December 10, 1984.
Bangladesh signed the convention on October 5, 1998, during the tenure of an Awami League-led government, promising to create effective legislation and take administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture.
As per the law, torture means acts which cause physical or mental pain and are intended to intimidate, coerce or punish someone to obtain information or a confession.
It also says, “...any person who attempts to commit, aid and abet in committing, and conspires to commit an offence shall also be guilty of an offence.”
Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haq proposed the passage of the “Parents' Care Bill 2013”, also passed in voice vote.
The law allows aggrieved parents to file cases against their children if the latter decline to support them.
The spouse or any relative, including in-laws, will be considered offenders and punished if found guilty of having objected to such support, it said.