The Transparency International Bangladesh on Monday said that reforms initiated by the interim government after the ouster of the Awami League regime had largely failed to ensure institutional independence and accountability while they instead reinforced executive and bureaucratic control.
In an assessment of the ordinances enacted in 2025, the TIB found major shortcomings in ordinances related to the Anti-Corruption Commission, Police Commission, National Human Rights Commission, revenue administration, cyber security, and data protection.
TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman revealed the assessment at a press conference at the MIDAS Centre in Dhaka.
Citing that different stakeholders contributed to the reform process with reviewed draft laws and specific recommendations, Iftekharuzzaman said, ‘However, in many cases, justified recommendations from stakeholders on governance and accountability were ignored.’
‘In some cases, proposals for amendment from stakeholders were ignored without any explanation, and in some cases the government carried out smear campaigns against certain stakeholders,’ he said.
Many crucial recommendations from reform commissions and the civil society, he added, were ignored and stakeholder consultation was minimal during drafting the ordinances although the interim government had pledged to build a discrimination-free, transparent and accountable ‘new Bangladesh’.
Assessing the influence of the bureaucracy, he said that a section of ‘powerful’ officials within the bureaucracy, rather than the council of advisers, made decisions on the ordinances.
Regarding the ACC Ordinance 2025, the TIB assessed that opposition parties were excluded from the selection process of the ACC chair and commissioners, while the proposal for forming a review committee to make the ACC accountable was ignored.
The Police Commission Ordinance 2025 was described as inconsistent with international standards, as it allows the body to be dominated by retired police officials and bureaucrats and places its operations under government influence.
The provision for allowing a former police official to serve as the member secretary would undermine the authority of the chair and other members of the commission, Iftekharuzzaman said.
While the TIB executive director praised the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025, he warned that accommodating the cabinet secretary in the commission member selection committee could weaken the commission’s impartiality.
The TIB also raised concerns over Public Audit Ordinance 2025, observing that the restructuring of the National Board of Revenue was rushed and left the authority vulnerable to political control, while audit reforms weakened the constitutional role of the comptroller and auditor general.
On the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, the TIB said that although it combined cyber security, cybercrime, and online freedom of expression into one law, it increased risks of misuse.
Overall, the TIB assessed, most of the ordinances enacted under the interim government diluted reform objectives and strengthened executive authority instead of ensuring transparency, accountability, and protection of common citizen’s rights.
TIB executive management adviser and law professor Sumaiya Khair and research and policy director Muhammad Badiuzzaman, among others, were present at the event.
