A coalition of rights organisations on Monday urged the Bangladesh government to substantially revise the proposed National Human Rights Commission Bill 2026, warning that it falls short of international standards and could weaken the commission’s independence and effectiveness.
The organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, FIDH, CIVICUS and Odhikar, said in a statement that the proposed bill represented a ‘regression’ from the safeguards provided under the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025, which was scrapped earlier this year.
They argued that instead of strengthening the NHRC’s autonomy, the new bill expanded executive control, weakened its mandate and restricted its ability to investigate serious human rights violations.
If enacted in its current form, they warned, the commission risks becoming a largely symbolic body with limited authority to hold state institutions accountable.
The organisations expressed concern that the draft undermines the independence of the commission as required under the Paris Principles, the internationally recognised standards for national human rights institutions.
They said that the structure of the selection committee had been altered to increase government dominance, replacing earlier provisions that included representatives from civil society, media and minority communities.
They also said the inclusion of senior government officials, including the law and home affairs ministers, in the appointment process created a conflict of interest, as those involved in state oversight would also participate in selecting commissioners tasked with scrutinising government actions.
It warned that dependence on government control over budget and administration would severely limit the commission’s ability to function independently.
On accountability for security forces, the organisations raised concern over provisions requiring the commission to rely on internal reports prepared by heads of law enforcement agencies under investigation.
They said that this would effectively allow institutions to investigate themselves in cases involving allegations of enforced disappearances, torture, custodial deaths and extrajudicial killings.
According to the statement, the bill would strip the commission of key investigative powers, including the ability to compel testimony, inspect premises and independently verify evidence in cases involving state agencies.
This, it warned, would deepen impunity and deny victims and families access to an independent forum for justice.
The organisations also said that the draft narrowed the commission’s mandate by removing or weakening key functions, including protection of human rights defenders, monitoring of vulnerable groups, engagement with civil society, advisory roles on international treaties, legislative review, and public awareness and education.
The statement also warned that the bill could also affect Bangladesh’s international standing, particularly its compliance with the Paris Principles, which guide accreditation under the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.
Failure to meet these standards, they said, could jeopardise the country’s ‘A Status’ accreditation and weaken its participation in global human rights mechanisms.
Calling for urgent reform, they urged the government to hold meaningful and inclusive consultations before finalising the legislation.
They recommended restoring safeguards for independence, establishing an independent investigative mechanism covering all alleged perpetrators, including security forces, ensuring representation of marginalised groups and reinstating the commission’s broader mandate on monitoring, education, treaty engagement and legislative review.
They stressed that a credible human rights institution must operate without political influence and be able to address serious allegations of abuse across all state agencies.
