The interim government has finally approved the draft ordinance to establish a police commission after months of discussions and seminars – but the body is set to function largely in an advisory capacity rather than as an independent authority.
Under the draft, the Ministry of Home Affairs will retain control over the appointment, promotion and transfer of police personnel, with the commission limited to making recommendations on these matters.
Stakeholders argue that this structure leaves the police vulnerable to political influence and potential misuse, noting that the commission will operate primarily as a recommending body rather than a genuinely autonomous institution.
The draft of the Police Commission Ordinance 2025 was approved on Thursday by the council of advisers.
The government tried to make a balance in the power, noting that no country in the world makes a police commission entirely independent, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan told TIMES of Bangladesh.
“We cannot allow the commission to be fully independent. If it becomes fully independent, what will the government do?” he said.
He added that any individual who feels aggrieved by police actions will be able to lodge a complaint with the commission.
The police chief, however, declined to comment without reviewing the draft ordinance.
“I have not seen the draft yet. Once I see it, I will be able to comment,” Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Following the student-led mass uprising of 2024, the police have faced intense public backlash for the use of force, strengthening demands for sweeping reforms.
As part of these reforms, the government initiated plans to establish a Police Commission to prevent the ruling authorities from using the force as a political tool against opponents.
An advisory committee led by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul initially drafted a proposal for a more independent commission, but the government scaled it back after strong resistance from the ministry’s bureaucracy, according to sources.
The committee had recommended a nine-member police commission. A subsequent revision reduced the proposed size to seven, and at Thursday’s meeting the number was cut further to just five commissioners.
Fouzul Kabir said a larger commission would undermine efficiency. “For this reason, we decided to keep the number of commissioners at five,” he said.
After Thursday’s advisory council meeting, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told journalists that the five-member Police Commission will be headed by a retired Appellate Division justice.
The remaining four members will include a secretary-level civil servant with experience as a district magistrate, a retired additional inspector general of police, a retired or serving university professor, and an individual with at least 15 years’ experience in human rights or good governance.
“Our aim in forming the Police Commission is to make the police more public-friendly. The commission will work with the government and recommend measures to ensure the police can operate without undue influence,” Rizwana said.
She added that the commission will also advise the government on modernising the police force to ensure greater sensitivity to human rights.
In addition to making recommendations, the commission will be tasked with investigating allegations against police officials and addressing professional issues within the force.
Rizwana said a search committee – comprising a judge of the Appellate Division nominated by the Chief Justice, the chairmen of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC), the cabinet secretary, the home secretary and two representatives from parliament – will recommend names for appointment to the commission.
Earlier, on 29 November, the draft of the Police Commission Ordinance, 2025 was placed before a special meeting of the Advisory Council. However, it was sent back for further revision and detail before being approved at Thursday’s meeting.
