CORI Country Report Bangladesh, March 2012
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Confirms CORI country of origin research and information CORI Country Report Bangladesh, March 2012 CORI Country Report; Bangladesh, March 2012 Preface Country of Origin Information (COI) is required within Refugee Status Determination (RSD) to provide objective evidence on conditions in refugee producing countries to support decision making. Quality information about human rights, legal provisions, politics, culture, society, religion and healthcare in countries of origin is essential in establishing whether or not a person’s fear of persecution is well founded. CORI Country Reports are designed to aid decision making within RSD. They are not intended to be general reports on human rights conditions. They serve a specific purpose, collating legally relevant information on conditions in countries of origin, pertinent to the assessment of claims for asylum. Categories of COI included within this report are based on the most common issues arising from asylum applications made by Bangladeshi nationals. This report covers events up to 31 March 2012. COI is a specific discipline distinct from academic, journalistic or policy writing, with its own conventions and protocols of professional standards as outlined in international guidance such as The Common EU Guidelines on Processing Country of Origin Information, 2008 and UNHCR, Country of Origin Information: Towards Enhanced International Cooperation, 2004. CORI provides information impartially and objectively, the inclusion of source material in this report does not equate to CORI agreeing with its content or reflect CORI’s position on conditions in a country. It is acknowledged that all sources have a bias, it is for decision makers to place a weight on sources, assessing relevance to each individual application. CORI Country Reports are prepared on the basis of publicly available information, studies and commentaries within a specified time frame. All sources are cited and fully referenced. Every effort has been taken to ensure accuracy and comprehensive coverage of the research issues, however as COI is reliant on publicly available documentation there may be instances where the required information is not available. Any translations made are unofficial translations made by CORI, as with all sources referenced, please see the full text of the original article. The reports are not, and do not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country surveyed, or conclusive as to the merits of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Every effort has been made to compile information from reliable sources; users should assess the credibility, relevance and timeliness of source material with reference to the specific research concerns arising from individual applications. CORI is an independent centre providing specialist research resources to support Refugee Status Determination. CORI works internationally with all parties to RSD, including governments, legal representatives and NGOs, producing commissioned research reports and providing knowledge management services. CORI works to improve standards of COI production through capacity building and training. Country of Origin Research and Information (CORI) www.coricentre.net [email protected] March 2012 2 CORI Country Report; Bangladesh, March 2012 Table of Contents PREFACE ................................................................................................................................................... 2 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION......................................................................................................... 5 A. OVERVIEW OF MAJOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS (SINCE END OF 2006)................................................... 5 1. Lack of Agreement to create caretaker government to hold Parliamentary Elections in January 2007 between Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and 14 party Awami League-led Grand Alliance 5 2. Declaration of a State of Emergency imposed on 11 January 2007.............................................. 8 3. 29 December 2008 Elections....................................................................................................... 8 4. Current developments................................................................................................................10 B. OVERVIEW OF PRESENT GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE .............................................................................11 1. Government Bodies, including administrative bodies and local governance ................................11 2. Border between Bangladesh and India; Enclaves .......................................................................13 3. Framework of National Integrity Strategy and Corruption ............................................................15 C. OVERVIEW OF MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES ; AWAMI LEAGUE , BANGLADESH NATIONAL PARTY , JATIYA PARTY AND JAMAAT -E-ISLAMI .......................................................................................................................18 1. Awami League ...........................................................................................................................19 2. Bangladesh Nationalist Party......................................................................................................20 3. Jatiya Party................................................................................................................................21 D. OVERVIEW OF MAIN STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ; BANGLADESH CHHATRA LEAGUE , JATIYATABADI CHHATRA DAL , AND ISLAMI CHHATRA SHIBIR......................................................................................................22 1. Bangladesh Chhatra League ......................................................................................................23 2. Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal ............................................................................................................24 3. Islami Chhatra Shibir..................................................................................................................26 E. FRONT ORGANISATIONS ....................................................................................................................27 2. SECURITY SITUATION/DEVELOPMENTS........................................................................................29 A. SECURITY SITUATION ON THE BANGLADESH /I NDIA BORDER ....................................................................30 B. SECURITY SITUATION IN THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS (CHT).............................................................35 3. SECURITY FORCES/MILITARY SERVICE/ARMED GROUPS ..........................................................38 A. DOMESTIC LEGAL FRAMEWORK ..........................................................................................................38 1. Treatment of draft evaders/military deserters..............................................................................38 B. GOVERNMENT FORCES .....................................................................................................................39 1. Armed Forces ............................................................................................................................39 2. Police Force...............................................................................................................................40 3. National Security Intelligence .....................................................................................................41 4. Directorate General of Forces Intelligence..................................................................................41 5 Rapid Action Battalion................................................................................................................42 6. Border Guard Bangladesh..........................................................................................................43 7 Bangladesh Ansar......................................................................................................................44 8. Village Defence Party.................................................................................................................45 C. ARMED GROUPS ...............................................................................................................................45 1. United Liberation Front of Assam ...............................................................................................46 2. Jamaat-e-Islami..........................................................................................................................50 3. Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh .........................................................................................52 4. Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh............................................................................................52 5. Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh .............................................................................................54 6. Islami Chhatra Shibir..................................................................................................................55 7. Purba Banglar Communist Party ................................................................................................55 8. Hizbut Tawhid ............................................................................................................................56 D. HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY THE SECURITY FORCES AND ARMED GROUPS ...........................................57