Huma Khan, senior human rights adviser at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh, has expressed deep concern over the government’s draft law on enforced disappearances.
She urged the authorities not to rush its passage and to engage in broad-based consultations with victims and their families.
She made these remarks while speaking at a discussion organised by the Human Rights Support Society at the National Press Club on Friday.
Her comments came a day after the Council of Advisers gave in-principle approval to the draft of the Enforced Disappearance Prevention, Remedies and Protection Ordinance 2025, which proposes strict penalties including the death sentence for those found guilty of committing enforced disappearances.
Khan raised significant concerns about the draft, noting that it narrowly defines enforced disappearance as an act committed solely by government officials.
“Private individuals can also carry out disappearances under the orders of state actors, and in such cases, the state remains responsible,” she explained.
She also criticized the draft’s limited scope for action against perpetrators, which is confined to internal disciplinary measures.
“This issue extends far beyond internal inquiries. Families have endured years of trauma. The law must clearly recognise state responsibility and prioritize accountability,” she emphasised.
Khan underscored that justice cannot be achieved without accountability and urged the government to conduct consultations not only in Dhaka but throughout the country, as many affected families reside outside the capital.
Addressing the issue of capital punishment, she warned that although Bangladesh has 33 crimes punishable by death, conviction rates remain low.
“Do we want actual convictions or merely the symbolic presence of the death penalty in law? The real solution lies in a neutral, competent judiciary that ensures timely justice,” she said.
“Rushed legislation does not ensure justice. Only a fair and effective justice system can deliver that,” Khan asserted.
She also highlighted the pressing needs of families of the disappeared, including access to bank accounts, property transfers, and official documentation confirming the status of their missing relatives.
Khan called for the swift resolution of fabricated criminal cases, noting that repeated police reporting wastes the time, resources, and dignity of affected families.