Bangladesh is considering signing the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly earlier this year regulating the international trade in conventional arms. Dhaka is also contemplating to ratify the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). Bangladesh became the signatory of this convention on September 6, 2000. According to the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Arms Trade Treaty was adopted on April 2, 2013 regulating the international trade in conventional arms from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships. The treaty will foster peace and security by putting a stop to arms flow to conflict regions. It will prevent human rights abusers and violators of the law of war from being supplied with arms. And it will help keep warlords and pirates from acquiring these deadly tools.
On ATT, sources at the Foreign Ministry said suggestions had been sought from the concerned ministries and departments and some of them had already given their opinion in favour of signing the treaty. “The Foreign Ministry is also for signing of the treaty,” an official told The Independent.
According to the sources, a move is underway to sign the treaty during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to the UN for the 67th session of the General Assembly from September 23-27.
If Bangladesh signs the treaty, they said it would be the first South Asian nation to do so.
Some 83 countries have signed the treaty and four countries have already ratified, said the sources, adding that arms producing countries like the United States, Russia, China and India were yet to become signatories to the treaty.
-With The Independent input
