By: Squadron Leader Md. Rashed-un-Nabi, Desk Officer, BNACWC
In response to an OPCW invitation, the Bangladesh National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention (BNACWC) applied for a European Union financial grant to support carefully identified national implementation activities. The request for EU financial support was in order to conduct three training courses/workshops for stakeholders of the National Authority and for the reproduction of national legislation on the CWC. BNACWC successfully completed all activities with the grant.
National Authority and Industry Outreach Training Course, 8-10 April 2007
BNACWC conducted the training course with technical support from the OPCW at the Training Institute for Chemical Industries (TICI) in Dhaka. Thirty-one representatives from the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Textile and Jute, and BNACWC participated in the training course, all of whom were directly involved with the implementation of the CWC. The training was designed to enhance awareness among stakeholders regarding Article VI declarations-related aspects of the CWC.
During the training course, information on the status of implementation, declaration requirements of the OPCW, and potentially declarable activities in Bangladesh was provided, as was detailed information about the OPCW verification regime and inspection process. Participants also took part in a mock inspection at an OCPF to familiarise participants with the specific Article VI declaration requirements. As a result of the mock inspection exercise, participants are now well acquainted with the inspection procedures of the OPCW in respect to conducting Article VI inspections.
National Training Course for Customs Officials, 15-17 April 2008
The second training workshop with EU funding, held from 15 to 17 April 2008, was designed to create awareness amongst customs officials on the requirements of the CWC’s transfers provisions. Twenty-eight customs officials from the National Board of Revenue attended the training course, which provided them information on the transfers provisions of the CWC and requirement to apply these provisions at the national level. The participants received extensive hands-on training in monitoring the import and export of scheduled chemicals. They also received practical assistance in producing declarations of aggregate national data for the production, processing, consumption, import, and export of scheduled chemicals. With this training, customs officials manning border posts are now in a better position to monitor the import and export of scheduled chemicals.
National Awareness Workshop on Declarations under the Convention and the Technical Aspects of OPCW Inspections, 14-15 July 2008
BNACWC conducted a third national workshop with the EU grant for 26 participants from the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries and Bangladesh Armed Forces who are involved with the implementation of the CWC. The workshop aimed to enhance awareness among stakeholders regarding aspects related to making annual declarations and receiving OPCW inspections.
The topics included an introduction to the CWC and OPCW, status of implementation of the Convention, declaration requirements, declarable activities in Bangladesh, verification regime, inspection processes and preparatory activities for conducting inspections. An additional presentation on emergency response in chemical incidents was also included in the programme. The interactive workshop made the participants more confident and conversant with the specific declaration requirements and their responsibilities in receiving OPCW inspection.
Reproduction of National Legislation on the Convention
The national legislation on the CWC, named ‘Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act-2006’ was approved by the Bangladesh Government on 24 September 2006 and translated into English in 2007. However, a limited number of copies of the translated text were printed by the Bangladesh Government. In order to increase general awareness of the Convention at the national level, the National Authority sought funds to print additional English-language copies of the national legislation and completed the printing in March 2008 using the EU grant. Copies have now been distributed to the stakeholders to make them aware of the requirements of the national legislation, which has greatly assisted the BNACWC in implementing the Convention in Bangladesh.