The future of the National Human Rights Commission has been thrown into uncertainty following a decision by the special committee of the parliament not to approve 20 ordinances issued by the interim government.
As a result, these ordinances, including one related to the rights commission, will lose their effectiveness after 10 April.
Experts have expressed concern over the implications of this move, highlighting the crucial role such commissions play in safeguarding human rights.
The absence of such a commission could make people’s lives unbearable, and the ruling authorities should not lose sight of that, they warned.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, a Supreme Court lawyer, said the commission, which was reorganised just two months ago, risks losing its existence if the ordinance is annulled.
“Once the ordinance is repealed, the commission will become dysfunctional because the previous law will be nullified,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
He further explained, “If the government intends to revert to the Human Rights Commission Act of 2009, it must publish a new gazette notification to make the law operational.”
“Until the gazette is issued, the commission will remain inactive.”
The commission was initially established under an ordinance during the military-backed caretaker government on 3 December 2007. On 14 July 2009, the Awami League government approved the ordinance in the parliament. However, during the tenure of the Yunus-led interim government, the law was effectively repealed under an ordinance.
Before the conclusion of the interim government’s term, however, a revision of the Human Rights Commission Act was enacted through a new ordinance.
Just ahead of the national elections on 6 February, a new five-member Human Rights Commission was formed, led by retired High Court Justice and former Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury.
The other members include former members of the enforced disappearance commission Md Noor Khan, Nabila Idris; Professor of Political Science at Dhaka University Md Shariful Islam, and human rights activist Ilira Dewan.
“We have not yet made any decisions on this matter. We will discuss it with all members and come to a conclusion by 7 April,” Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury told TIMES.
A special committee of the parliament has reviewed 133 ordinances issued by the interim government, recommending approval for 117 and suggesting the rejection of 20 others. Among the rejected ordinances, four have been cancelled, while 16 have been recommended for postponement in the form of bills in the parliament.
According to Article 93 of the Constitution, ordinances must be presented in the subsequent parliamentary session, and if not passed within 30 days, they will be automatically annulled. As a result, these 20 ordinances are set to lose their effectiveness, including those concerning the Supreme Court, the Human Rights Commission, enforced disappearances, and the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Constitutional expert Shahdeen Malik, however, noted that since the human rights commission ordinance was issued through an amendment of the Human Rights Commission Act, the previous law may continue to operate.
“For now, I believe the commission can function under the previous law until a new ordinance is issued,” Malik added.
The commission was formed during the tenure of the Sheikh Hasina government following the 2024 uprising, after the law-and-order situation in the country deteriorated. Under the Awami League government, the commission’s chairman and other members were forced to resign, rendering the body largely ineffective. Amid extrajudicial killings and other violations, the commission struggled to function, and it remains largely inactive to this day.
Asked about the commission’s activities since its formation, human rights activist Noor Khan said, “I cannot comment on this matter.”
Transparency International Bangladesh has expressed dissatisfaction over the issue. It’s Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed the move “extremely concerning” in a statement.
“The suspension of the ordinance puts the prospects of forming an effective commission in jeopardy. The absence of effective human rights protection, independence of the judiciary, and regulations to prevent enforced disappearances should not be forgotten by those in power, as it can make people’s lives unbearable,” the statement read.
Status of other commissions
Following the fall of the Awami League government, key members, including the Chief Information Commissioner, resigned from the Information Commission, leaving the body dysfunctional since then.
In the final days of the interim government, the Information Rights (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, was issued to restructure the commission. However, the Yunus administration failed to implement its formation.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also faced restructuring efforts by the interim government, which issued the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, late last year. The ordinance increased the number of commissioners from three to five.
However, after the BNP government assumed power, both the Chairman of the ACC, Mohammad Abdul Momen, and two commissioners resigned, rendering the ACC effectively inactive.
A parliamentary committee has indicated that the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, may not be immediately repealed. Instead, it may undergo further scrutiny and be reintroduced as a revised bill in the future.
