high-level discussion will start on a government funded project to transform prisons into correctional institutions with Paralegal Advisory Services specially to ensure legal assistance and rehabilitation of prisoners, said the Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General ASM Anisul Haque.
The announcement was made Thursday at an event entitled ‘Commemorating 15 Years of Prison Reform” in the Kara Convention Centre jointly organised by the Bangladesh Prison Directorate and the Rule of Law Programme, implemented by GIZ Bangladesh, to celebrate their long-standing partnership.
Welcoming the Bangladesh government’s consideration of adopting modern and sustainable solutions to establish justice by institutionalising legal aid and rehabilitation programmes for prisoners, the German Ambassador Achim Tröster emphasised that,
“The implementation of the government’s 8th Five-Year plan for justice and prison reforms will play an important role in establishing the rule of law in the country,” the envoy said.
The event showcased the journey of prison reform through the 15 years long partnership and technical assistance between GIZ’s Rule of Law Programme and the Prison Directorate.
Representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Prisons Department, Directorate of Social Services, Directorate of Youth Development, Lawyers, International Development Organizations and Civil Society participated in the event.
The Rule of Law (RoL) programme of GIZ Bangladesh is a joint initiative under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MoLJPA). The programme is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).