Ratify Rome statute of ICC to promote rule of law

Once the statute is ratified, the rule of law will be promoted and the effective implementation of legislation will be ensured, they said.

But the countries where democratic practices are fragile due to corrupt and opportunist governments are yet to endorse the ICC, they added.

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The Odhikar and Bangkok-based Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia) organised the workshop on ICC at the Tennis Complex Auditorium in Rajshahi, with Supreme Court lawyer Adilur Rahman Khan in the chair.

Dr Asif Nazrul, a teacher of the law department of Dhaka University, presented a keynote paper at the workshop.

Ninety-seven countries, including the most powerful ones from Europe, have so far ratified the treaty. Bangladesh signed it in 1999 after it was adopted in Rome in 1998.

Based in the Hague, the ICC came into effect in 2002. Amnesty International's members around the world have been lobbying their governments to ratify it, the workshop was told.

Adilur Rahman said some rulers who fear that they or their officials might someday face the international justice for their crimes and corruption are not interested in ratifying the treaty.

Sultana Razia of the law desk, The Daily Star, said the ICC would help countries improve criminal justice and create fair and effective courts.

Senior SC lawyer AF Hassan Arif, Rajshahi Bar Association President Zillur Rahman, Secretary Hamidul Haque, Rajshahi University law department Chairman Dr Asma Siddika, journalist Hasan Millat, engineer Tajul Islam, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association's Rajshahi chapter chief Dil Sitara Begum Chuni also spoke.