DHAKA: The 23rd South Asian Teaching Session (SATS) on international humanitarian law (IHL) this year is going to be held in Bangladesh on November 24-29.

The six-day training course, jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Foreign Affairs Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood inaugurated the event at a city hotel on Saturday.

Addressing the function, he said, “It is not just imperative for the State apparatus to have a sound understanding of IHL, it is increasingly becoming crucial to disseminate basic knowledge of IHL among the general populace.”

At his first public appearance since assuming office, the Foreign Minister highlighted the salient features of IHL in Bangladesh’s foreign policy pursuits concerning peacekeeping, disarmament and ongoing trials of crimes against humanity and genocide.

Referring to the current conflicts in Syria, Somalia and D R Congo, the he said, “The global IHL regime remains our best bet to ensure that some semblance of sanity and humanity is maintained even in the midst of such mayhem and violence”. He also recalled ICRC’s valuable contributions during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation in 1971.

A total of 45 government officials, academics and legal professionals from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are taking part in the 23rd SATS. The academic programme consists of presentations and case studies linked to topics such as the protection of civilians, peacekeeping, the protection of cultural property, and the relationship between international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

The sessions will be led by experts from the ICRC, the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh, the Islamic Foundation, Bangladeshi army headquarters, UN Women, UNESCO, UNHCR, Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, National Law School of India University, and Dhaka University.

"This regional forum will facilitate exchanges between government officials and civil society representatives working in the fields of international law, policy and security across Asia," said Christine Cipolla, the head of the ICRC delegation in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, the ICRC seeks to protect and assist people adversely affected by natural and other humanitarian disasters. It promotes greater understanding of international humanitarian law among the authorities, academics, and law enforcement and armed forces personnel. The ICRC also works to improve access to physical rehabilitation services for persons with disability.

BDST: 2030 HRS, NOV 23, 2013