BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

TOWARDS A GLOBAL ARMS TRADE TREATY AND BANGLADESH: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD

Author: M. Ashique Rahman

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2012v33n4a1

ABSTRACT

After all these years, it is frustrating to know that still, there exist no bindinginter national standards to regulate, control and monitor the massive activities that fall within the boundaries of conventional arms transfers. The void left by the non-existence of any international binding standards engenders many consequences. They range from distressing global scenarios such as increasing armed conflicts and casualties, human rights violations to undesired arms transfers e.g., illicit trafficking in arms, arms transfers to conflict regions, to non-state actors as well as arms transfer seven to countries undergoing arms embargoes. One of the main objectives of the paper, therefore, is to provide an analysis of the multifaceted need for a legally binding international arms trade treaty (ATT). While providing an overview of the content of the treaty, the paper also discusses the various challenges that the ATT process is experiencing especially due to the international community’s unrelenting efforts to incorporate some crucial yet contentious provisions within the treaty framework. The paper also probes into the relevance of the treaty for Bangladesh. It is argued that since small arms proliferation constitutes serious socio-political and security concerns in Bangladesh, an ATT would yield handful benefits for the country. Nevertheless, as revealed in the paper it will also create new hurdles for Bangladesh in terms of fulfilling the treaty commitments.