TIB raises concerns over independence of proposed rights bills

The proposed National Human Rights Commission Bill 2026 and Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Bill 2026 still fail to ensure independent investigations into serious human rights violations, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said today.

In a statement, TIB said the parliamentary standing committee had made some positive amendments, but the bills’ core accountability framework remained unchanged, leaving investigations vulnerable to conflicts of interest and institutional influence.

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TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the human rights commission bill still did not guarantee an independent commission. He pointed to executive influence over the selection committee, the possibility of serving officials becoming commissioners on deputation or leave, deputation of up to 30 percent of staff from government service, and a lack of full financial independence.

“In other words, a commission is being formed, but the hope that it will be independent remains an illusion. Similarly, the authority to investigate human rights violations effectively remains in the hands of the accused,” he said.

TIB also expressed concern that military detention centres were excluded from places the National Prevention Mechanism unit could inspect regularly without prior notice.

On the enforced disappearance bill, TIB said the committee had made no fundamental changes to ensure independent investigations, accountability or victims’ rights, calling the amendments largely “cosmetic”.

Iftekharuzzaman said Section 19 of the human rights commission bill requires the commission to seek reports from the accused disciplinary force or institution instead of conducting its own inquiry.

“By narrowing the commission’s power of inquiry and investigation and making it dependent on reports, this provision makes it weaker than even the 2009 law and inconsistent with the Paris Principles,” he said.

He said the enforced disappearance bill had a similar flaw, as it allows another disciplinary force or an inter-force team to investigate members of an accused force.

TIB called for a broader definition of enforced disappearance in line with the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), including possible involvement by public representatives, MPs, ministers, advisers and other influential state actors.

TIB said Section 15 could allow accused senior officials to escape proceedings on the basis of interim reports prepared by subordinate investigators, creating a risk of “blanket impunity”.

TIB urged parliament to hold meaningful discussions on the bills, with participation from treasury and opposition lawmakers, and not pass them hastily through voice votes.