Loading...








PGA’s vision is to contribute to the creation of a Rules-Based International Order for a more equitable, safe, sustainable and democratic world.

Bangladesh and the Rome Statute

On 22 March 2010, the Cabinet of Bangladesh adopted the decision to ratify the Rome Statute. The instrument of ratification was deposited with the UN Secretary General on 23 March, during the resumed session of the 8th Assembly of States Parties (ASP) of the ICC that was taking place in New York. Having deposited the instrument of ratification, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh made a declaration at the ASP as representative of the new State Party, an act which was warmly welcomed by the ASP. Bangladesh became the 111th State to ratify the Rome Statute.

Before Bangladesh ratified the Rome Statute, PGA was working with Parliamentarians in Bangladesh for almost two decades. In 2002 a consultation seminar on ratification of the Rome Statute on the ICC in South Asia, organized by PGA in Delhi, India, was held. Several legislators from Bangladesh came to Delhi. Since that time PGA member from all over the world as well as the PGA Secretariat have encouraged, liaised with and advised its Members in Bangladesh, to advocate for ratification of the Rome Statute.

Rome Statute

Bangladesh signed the Rome Statute on 16 September 1999. Bangladesh deposited its instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute on 23 March 2010.

Bangladesh became the 111th State to ratify the Rome Statute. Bangladesh was the first country in the South Asia sub-region to take this historic step.

Kampala Amendments of 2010

Bangladesh has not yet ratified the Amendments to the Rome Statute adopted by the 2010 Review Conference (Kampala Amendments) on the crime of aggression and on the use of certain weapons in armed conflict not of an international character.

Bangladesh attended the Review Conference and joined the consensus to adopt the two Kampala Amendments.

Status on the domestic implementation of the Rome Statute

In 2015, the Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to promote the universalization of the Rome Statute during his meeting with ICC Deputy Prosecutor James Stewart.

The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, as amended in August 2009, enables investigation and prosecution on the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, crime against peace, and other international crimes.

The legislation provides setting up of one or more Tribunals, for these crimes committed before or after the law came into force in July 1973. Under it, the Government can establish Investigating Agency, appoint Prosecutors and Judges.

Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court (APIC)

Signature and ratification status of the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities (APIC): Bangladesh has not acceded to the APIC.
 

Additional Agreements

Bangladesh signed a Bilateral Non-surrender Agreement with the U.S.A , on August 17, 2003 which entered into force in March 2004.
 

Progress and PGA Action

Bangladesh’s PGA Members are promoting the enactment of legislation on effective cooperation with the ICC and on the fulfilment of human rights standards in the ongoing crimes against humanity proceedings taking place in Bangladesh. The PGA Secretariat provides technical legal assistance.

2 March 2015- Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to promote the universalization of the Rome Statute during his meeting with ICC Deputy Prosecutor James Stewart.

9-10 March 2011-Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Consultation on the Universality of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC): a Working Group of the Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the ICC on the Rule of Law, hosted by the Parliament of Malaysia, Kuala-Lumpur where an Action Plan to Promote the Universality of the Rome Statute of the ICC in the Asia Pacific was drafted. In this documents a number of country-specific actions for Bangladesh were suggested.

22March 2010- On 22 March, the Bangladesh Cabinet adopted the decision to ratify the Rome Statute. The instrument of ratification was deposited with the UN Secretary General on 23 March

2002 a consultation seminar on ratification of the Rome Statute on the ICC in South Asia, organized by PGA in Delhi, India

Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review

Within the UN Human Rights Council universal Period Review (UPR), Bangladesh was reviewed during the 25th session of the UPR in January 2013 where it received two  recommendations the fully incorporation of the Rome Statute crimes and general principles in domestic legislation in order to enable national courts to fight against impunity. It was also recommend the accession to the APIC. During the UPR 1st cycle, Bangladesh received not recommendation related to the Rome Statute.  

Additional Relevant Information

Bangladesh is a member of the Commonwealth

Bangladesh is also a member of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation)

Key Documents
Parliamentary Action
  • Bangladesh participated in the Consultative Assembly for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law, Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the ICC and the Rule of Law - 8th session, 04-05 December 2014 (CAP-ICC 8th session) that was held in Morocco, Rabat, during the 4th and 5th of December 2014. The Bangladesh Parliamentarians members that participated in this Consultative Assembly in Rabat were Dr. Israfil Alam, MP Member, Mr. Iqbalur Rahim, Mr. Abdul Matin Khasru and Mrs. Fazilatun Nasa Bappy, MP
Related Activities

Status of the Rome Statute System as of February 2024:

 
States that have ratified the Rome Statute [124]
 
States that have signed the Rome Statute but have not ratified it yet [30]
 
States that have withdrawn from the Rome Statute [2]
 
States that have neither signed nor ratified the Rome Statute
 

124 countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Of these, 33 are African States, 19 are Asia-Pacific States, 19 are from Eastern Europe, 28 are from Latin American and Caribbean States, and 25 are from Western European and other States.

Work of PGA in this Country:

Looking Ahead: PGA Member Hon. Hryhoriy Nemyria, MP (Ukraine) addressed the 18th Assembly of States Parties, committing Ukraine to ratify the Rome Statute in 2020.

Final PGA Rome Statute Campaign Update 2019

As 2019 comes to a close, we at Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) look back at a year that saw impressive gains in the fight against impunity, but also some setbacks.

The Kutupalong Refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The camp is currently the world’s largest refugee settlement and hosts around 600,000 refugees. UN Photo/Caroline Gluck

PGA applauds the opening of an ICC investigation into atrocities committed against Rohingya population in Bangladesh/ Myanmar

PGA welcomes the decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity committed in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh/Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

Mrs. Barbara Lochbihler

17th Assembly of States Parties of the ICC

From 5 to 12 December 2018, delegations from States Parties, observer States, international and regional organizations, and civil society gathered at the World Forum in The Hague, Netherlands, for the 17th Session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP).

The purpose of this second Consultation was to review current ratification and implementation processes of the Rome Statute in a number of countries in the region, including in particular, in Malaysia.

Second PGA Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Consultation on the Universality of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Following on from the First PGA Asian Consultation on the ICC held in the House of Representatives in The Philippines four years ago, the purpose of this second Consultation was to review current ratification and implementation processes of the Rome Statu

Publication

Parliamentary Kit on the International Criminal Court
Parliamentary Kit on the International Criminal Court

Parliamentary Kit on the International Criminal Court

It is imperative that the Rome Statute be ratified universally for the successful functioning of the Court. Parliamentarians should ensure that the ICC is truly universal.

Description

Created by the Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first permanent and independent international court capable of investigating and bringing to justice individuals who commit the most serious violations of international criminal law, international humanitarian law, and human rights.

The Rome Statute defines the crimes under the Court’s jurisdiction and provides the general principles and procedures for the operation of the Court. It also outlines the cooperation obligations of its State Parties. It is imperative that the Rome Statute be ratified universally for the successful functioning of the Court. Parliamentarians should ensure that the ICC is truly universal.

PDF(s)

Additional Details

  • Publication Type: Toolkit
  • Author(s): Parliamentarians for Global Action

Publication

Handbook for Parliamentarians: National Nomination of Judicial Candidates for the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Handbook for Parliamentarians: National Nomination of Judicial Candidates for the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Handbook for Parliamentarians: National Nomination of Judicial Candidates for the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Description

The ICC is the first and only permanent independent court with the mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for committing international crimes, namely genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Its 18 judges from around the world, elected for a nine-year term, play a key role in ensuring this expectation is lived up to through their primary mandate to render authoritative and high-quality jurisprudence and guarantee fair trials.

Therefore, the quality of the judges has fundamental importance to the performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of the ICC, which is at the heart of the long-term success of the ICC and the Rome Statute system as a whole. In this handbook, PGA sets forth specific criteria and recommendations for Parliamentarians to encourage their governments to improve national nomination procedures for ICC judicial candidates and adopt good practices and requirements to ensure these processes are fair, transparent, and merit-based. The goal of robust nomination procedures is to ensure that only candidate judges or jurists of the highest caliber make it on the ballot.

PDF(s)

Additional Details

  • Publication Type: Handbook
  • Author(s): Parliamentarians for Global Action

Publication

Handbook: Ratification and Implementation of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Handbook: Ratification and Implementation of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Handbook: Ratification and Implementation of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Description

It is our honor and privilege to present to you the Third Edition of the Handbook on the Ratification and Implementation of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

It is the product of our collaborative effort aimed at assisting States in ratifying the amendments adopted by consensus in Kampala and helping criminalize the most serious forms of the illegal use of force.

PDF(s)

Additional Details

  • Publication Type: Handbook
  • Author(s): Permanent Mission of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the United Nations; Global Institute for the Prevention of Aggression; Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination at Princeton University (LISD); (Drafting Assistance by PGA)