Odhikar has congratulated the government for Ratifying
the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 22 March
2010. Below is their statement, jointly signed by its President Dr. C.R.
Abrar and secretary Adilur Rahman Khan.
has congratulated the government for Ratifying
the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 22 March
2010. Below is their statement, jointly signed by its President Dr. C.R.
Abrar and secretary Adilur Rahman Khan.

Odhikar congratulates the government for Ratifying the Rome Statute
of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Rome Statute was adopted
by the international community on 17 July 1998 and Bangladesh signed it
on 16 September 1999.

The ICC acts on three major  crimes genocide, war crimes and crimes
against humanity when States are incapable or unwilling to prosecute.

The ICC is the first permanent international criminal court and
considered as the most significant institution for justice, peace and
security after the creation of United Nations.
ICC is independent of UN.

The government's decision to ratify culminates the campaign against
genocide, war crimes and
crimes against humanity waged by the people of Bangladesh since
1971.

Today, Bangladesh has demonstrated its commitment to international
justice and no impunity for international crimes.

As a State Party to the Rome Statute, Bangladesh would now join the
Review Conference of the
Rome Statute in May in Kampala, Uganda, where the crime of
aggression will be defined and
adopted.

Bangladesh should ensure effective participation in defining this
important crime.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh should formally deposit the "Instrument of
Ratification" to UN
Secretary General's office before 1 April 2010. To effectively
cooperate with the ICC,
Bangladesh also has to ratify the Agreement on Privileges and
Immunities of the International
Criminal Court (APIC).