TIB Raises Concern Over Fundamental Amendments to NHRC Ordinance

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has alleged that the recently introduced fundamental changes to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Ordinance 2025 have effectively placed the formation of the commission under direct bureaucratic control, severely undermining its independence from government influence.

In a statement issued on Saturday, TIB expressed serious concern, claiming that the Cabinet Secretary was added to the Selection Committee in a covert manner, while key stakeholders involved in drafting the ordinance were kept completely uninformed. The organisation described the move as an embarrassing example of the government capitulating to anti-reform bureaucratic interests.

TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that following the gazette notification of the NHRC Ordinance, both TIB and other stakeholders had hoped it would create an opportunity to free the commission from long-standing bureaucratic dominance. However, within just one month, the Selection Committee—intended to act as a safeguard against bureaucratic abuse of power—has instead been transformed into a mechanism of direct government control.

He further noted that the Human Rights Commission, along with other statutory commissions in Bangladesh, has historically remained ineffective due to persistent government interference. According to him, the latest change to the Selection Committee is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, deliberate effort to preserve the existing flawed system.

Describing the bureaucratic takeover of the Selection Committee and the government’s acquiescence as deeply disappointing, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman acknowledged that the amended ordinance includes a positive provision to establish a National Preventive Mechanism to prevent cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. However, he stressed that the inclusion of the Cabinet Secretary in the Selection Committee fundamentally compromises the independence, impartiality, and effectiveness of the National Human Rights Commission, thereby undermining the very spirit of that provision.

TIB has called on the government to immediately reverse what it termed a surrender to an anti-reform bureaucratic clique and to repeal the imposed provisions of the ordinance. The organisation specifically demanded the removal of the Cabinet Secretary from the Selection Committee and urged a comprehensive overhaul of the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance.

According to the statement, the original ordinance for forming the National Human Rights Commission, published in the Gazette on 9 November 2025, did not include any bureaucratic representative in the Selection Committee. This reflected a shared understanding among the government and stakeholders regarding the longstanding challenges caused by bureaucratic influence over the commission’s effectiveness.

However, in the amended ordinance published in the Gazette on 8 December, the Cabinet Secretary was unilaterally added to the Selection Committee—without notifying any stakeholders involved in the drafting process—solely to ensure bureaucratic dominance over the committee, TIB alleged.

Source: Financial Express