Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed disappointment regarding recommendations to repeal two ordinances concerning the appointment of Supreme Court judges and the establishment of a dedicated secretariat.
The anti-corruption organisation also criticised the decision to suspend the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance under the pretext of a review, calling for these measures to be presented in Parliament as bills in their original form.
In a statement issued on Friday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman observed that out of the 133 ordinances introduced during the interim government’s tenure, those relating to the Supreme Court and the Human Rights Commission represented significant progress in strengthening the nation’s democratic and institutional foundations.
He questioned the government’s intentions, asking if previous election manifesto pledges to ensure effective judicial independence were merely rhetorical tools used to influence public opinion.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman reminded the authorities of how the judiciary had been compromised and used to suppress dissent under the former authoritarian regime, expressing regret that these lessons appear to have been forgotten so quickly.
Concerns over judicial independence, human rights
The suspension of the Human Rights Commission Ordinance has placed the prospect of an effective rights watchdog in a state of concerning uncertainty.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman argued that the current stance is self-defeating for political parties represented in Parliament, many of whom were victims of rights deprivations and the politicisation of state institutions.
He urged political leaders to demonstrate they have learned from the authoritarian rule and the bloodshed of the July uprising by immediately approving these ordinances in their original forms.
Regarding enforced disappearances, the TIB chief questioned why a government, whose own party members were victims of such crimes, would subject related ordinances to the “trap” of further review.
He warned that using a review as a justification to provide immunity to those involved in killings, or to weaken the law by requiring government approval for investigations into security forces under the guise of “national security,” would represent a major step backward for human rights in the country.
Revision of anti-graft and police laws
TIB further urged that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Ordinance be revised to align with the recommendations of the ACC Reform Commission included in the July Charter, which received consensus from various political parties, including the BNP.
This revision should include a strategically important provision for an independent selection and review committee to ensure the commission’s full independence, while also bringing private sector corruption under legal scope.
The organisation also called for the repeal of the current Police Commission Ordinance, stating it fails to reflect the need for an independent and neutral force as proposed in the National Consensus Commission.
Additionally, TIB demanded that the “Right to Information (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026” undergo revisions regarding the definition of information and the status of commissioners before being placed in Parliament.
The statement concluded with a strong demand that all ordinances, including those currently suspended, be reviewed with the involvement of relevant experts and stakeholders to be enacted into law without further delay.
