Topic: 2025 – Treatment of Prisoners
Country: Bangladesh
Delegate Name: Eddie Wuerthele
The matter of prisoners is a matter all countries all over the world must face. Regardless of how they got there, all of them deserve basic rights (Article 5, UDHR) that are often violated. While some of the unfair treatment is intentional, much of it is due to factors out of the facility’s control such as overcrowding and dearth of resources. There is currently no solution put into place to manage the populations of prisons which puts humane treatment at risk. The UN would like to find ways to mitigate these factors that adversely affect the implementation of the Mandela Rules. According to the UNHRC, over 60% of countries suffer from unfair treatment of prisoners, meaning it’s a problem that can be internationally solved.
Bangladesh finds itself within that 60%. On average, prisons in Bangladesh are housing nearly double the inmates they should. With so many prisoners, Bangladesh is unable to supply the prisons with enough hygienic supplies nor can it provide enough medical staff. In order to comply with the Mandela rules, Bangladesh has collaborated with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by holding workshops such as “Transforming Prisons Into Modern Correctional Facilities” and “Humane Prison Management for Senior Prison Officers” to educate the populace and to work towards providing better care for current and former prisoners. Bangladesh has begun implementing training programs for correctional staff but needs more resources to continue such programs.
The Delegation of Bangladesh recommends communal efforts to reduce overcrowding and allocate resources to countries in need, while also respecting national sovereignty and allowing each country to use the resources in the way they believe is most useful. As Bangladesh has a low GDP, these efforts can not be achieved alone. The delegation also recommends a network where countries can share ideas on how to rehabilitate prisoners to prepare them for post-prison life. Bangladesh is interested in partnering with other countries to achieve reforms and build a worldwide community that is not plagued by the inhumane treatment of prisoners.
