I am Tamanna Hoq Riti, representing Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights organization and Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRFB), a coalition of 20 human rights and development organizations. We would urge the CESCR to kindly consider following recommendations while reviewing Bangladesh-

1. Recognize the distinct identity of the indigenous peoples in the constitution as well as adopt action-oriented and time-bound roadmap to implement the CHT accord.
2. Set up a separate Land Commission for IPs in the plains and take effective actions to end forced eviction of IPs from their lands.
3. Frame Rules under the CHT Land Commission Act 2001, as advised by the CHT Regional Council.
4. Take necessary steps to speed up the disposal rate of Vested Property release applications and establish inclusive monitoring bodies centrally and for every district, on implementation of the Vested Property Return Act (VPRA).
5. Ensure access to land for landless people by properly implementing the existing land distribution policy.
6. Take preventive measures to protect the houses and temples of religious minorities from violence and land grabbing.
7. Amend provisions in laws and policies to eliminate discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation to ensure their access to ESCR.
8. Ensure accessibility of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in all public, private and people’s institutions.
9. Take necessary steps to accede to the 1951 Refugee Convention and grant refugee status to the Rohingyas.
10. Fix a deadline to withdraw the reservations from CEDAW articles and amend discriminatory inheritance laws to ensure equal rights of women of all religious and ethnic groups.
11. Ensure the protection of all the sectors i.e. agricultural workers, domestic workers, informal etc., within the purview of Bangladesh Labour Law.
12. Strengthen monitoring of workplaces and ensure accountability of the relevant authorities in case of non-compliance with standard workplace conditions.
13. Introduce Pension Scheme for the private and informal sector.
14. Amend special provisions of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 to ensure that girls under the age of 18 cannot be married under any circumstances.
15. Ensure proper rehabilitation of the slum dwellers before acquiring the lands.
16. Ensure that the National Food Policy is compatible with principles of good governance, transparency and accountability and take effective measures to prevent food adulteration.
17. Make right to health legally enforceable and develop a legal framework to prevent the commission business among doctors and healthcare institutions, managing private clinic systems run by public sector doctors, as well as preventing whimsical fees in medicine and healthcare services across different sectors, etc.
18. Address stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes with regard to sexuality and ensure that people have affordable access to information and education on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
19. Make Right to Education legally enforceable and immediately approve Education Act to ensure effective implementation of the Education Policy.
20. Review the existing education system, invest more to ensure the infrastructures of quality education, remove controversial contents from textbooks and take effective actions to stop question leakage.

Thank you!