Topic: Argumentative Essay (‘Should the death penalty be allowed?’).

Essay Questions:
 What is death penalty?
 Why do countries differ regarding death penalty? What is the law in your country?
 How is death penalty given and for what crimes?
 What is the age for death penalty in your country?
 Are there alternatives for death penalty?
 Is death penalty more like revenge than punishment?
 Is death penalty too harsh in your country?
 What if innocent person is executed via death penalty?
 Should death penalty be imposed on mentally ill person?
 Does death penalty have positive effect on crime rate?

ESSAY: SHOULD THE DEATH PENALTY BE ALLOWED?

In the modern era, for every crime there has to be a specific punishment. Otherwise, the
entire world would fall into a chaotic situation. A heinous crime requires a heinous
punishment. So death penalty should be awarded to the heinous criminals. The death penalty,
also known as capital punishment or execution, is the sentence of death imposed by courts as
punishment for a crime. People who receive the death penalty typically are convicted of
murder and similar capital crimes like aggravated murder or felony murder. State legislatures
establish the death penalty and set forth the offenses that may be punished by death.

Different countries may have different types of punishment. In some countries capital
punishments are given and in some countries it is not given. For example, no one in Canada
is given capital punishment. In Africa many countries use death penalty but not all. There
exists no capital punishment in Europe except Belarus and Russia. However, Asia conducts
the maximum number of death penalties. The numbers vary due to crime rates and severity of
specific countries. In some Asian countries, there are high rates of poverty which is a major
cause of crimes. The literacy rate and employment issues are also an existing cause for such
difference in capital punishment of different countries.

Capital punishment in Bangladesh is a legal form of punishment for anyone who is over 16,
however in practice will not apply to persons under 18. Crimes that are currently punishable
by death in Bangladesh are set out in the Penal Code 1860. These include waging war against
Bangladesh, abetting mutiny, giving false evidence upon which an innocent person suffers
death, murder, assisted suicide of a child, attempted murder of a child, and kidnapping. The
Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 provides that "he be hanged by the neck until he is dead."
A person can receive the death penalty if they are found guilty of crimes against women and
children. The Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 provides that the death
penalty can be imposed for murder or attempted murder involving burning, poison, or acid.
Causing grievous bodily harm by burning, poison or acid, if the victim's eyesight, hearing,
face, breasts or reproductive organs are damaged. Therefore, criminals in Bangladesh can be
sentenced to death for attempted crimes and causing grievous bodily harm. A number of
offences (crimes not result in death) are punishable by death when committed by armed
forces personnel. These offences include, providing aid to the enemy, cowardice and
desertion and inducement to such and cowardly use of a flag of truce or any act calculated to
imperil Bangladesh. Recently a five years old girl was brutally raped before she was
murdered. These criminal has been charged of rape and murder and have been executed with
death penalty. Two criminals were executed in the year 2019.
There are many alternatives to death penalty like lifetime imprisonment, long term
imprisonment, huge amount of fines or taking away licenses etc. A survey of the united states
suggests that sixty-one percent people prefer alternative to death penalty. But for countries
like Bangladesh, death penalty should be a must as many criminals enjoy shelter of prison
and they will not be afraid of committing crimes. And other criminals may also get inspired
due to this. Death penalty may seem like revenge at times. But according to the constitution
of Bangladesh it is mandatory for criminals performing capital punishment to get death
penalty. Death penalty can get harsh on criminals who run the entire family or those who are
destitutes . But to teach other criminals a lesson, especially in Bangladesh, strict capital
punishment is absolutely necessary.

Sometimes, innocent people or juveniles are also announced death penalty in Bangladesh. A
14 years old boy was recently announced death sentence for a rape case. The state basically
decided this so that more crimes do not arise. The constitution passed a special provision just
for this case. But juveniles under 15 years can also be treated via counselling or rehab centres
because juveniles may be criminals but if treated correctly they can become assets for a
country. For criminals who have committed crimes but are mentally unstable, the Bangladesh
government has established different rehabilitation centres and special prisons. But these
criminals are not given death penalty. This can instigate other criminals to take shelter of
mental illness and commit heinous crimes. So the mentally ill should also be punished but
they may not be announced to death, rather life time imprisonment.

From the above discussion, we can say that death penalty can result in both positive and
negative impacts. But for countries like Bangladesh, death penalty plays a vital role for
mitigating criminal activities once and for all. Basing on current situation of the country, the
more strict the law is, the less the crimes occur. According to a recent statistic of odhikar, 327
people were sentenced to death in the year 2019. But only 2 were executed. This depicts the
loose ends of the judiciary. In order to make a crime free Bangladesh, death penalty should
not stopped. Rather , more monitoring should be done so that the criminals are properly
punished and it should set an example for other criminals so they do not involve in crimes as
well.