Press Release
Dhaka, 03 April 2026: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed deep disappointment over the recommendation to repeal two ordinances relating to the appointment of Supreme Court judges and a separate secretariat, and to suspend the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance in the name of review. Calling for these ordinances to be placed as bills in their original form, the organization has also urged that the remaining ordinances recommended for suspension—including those relating to the Anti-Corruption Commission, Police Commission, and Right to Information—be reviewed with the involvement of relevant stakeholders and immediately enacted into law.
In a statement issued today, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “Among the 133 ordinances promulgated during the tenure of the interim government, a few marked significant progress in strengthening the country’s democratic and institutional foundations. These include the Supreme Court Judges Appointment Ordinance, the Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance, and the Human Rights Commission Ordinance. What message does the government intend to convey by repealing and suspending these three ordinances? Regarding the assurance of judicial independence, the ruling party’s election manifesto pledged to “ensure effective independence of the judiciary… and further strengthen a separate secretariat under the control of the Supreme Court for judicial reform.” Is this the reflection of that commitment? Or, considering the circumstances, was the ruling party’s pledge on judicial independence included in its election manifesto merely as rhetoric, intended to influence public opinion? It is highly disappointing that, within such a short span of time, the government appears to have forgotten how compromised the judiciary had become during the previous authoritarian regime, and how it was used as a tool to suppress dissent.”
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman further said, “Similarly, the strong possibility of establishing an effective Human Rights Commission has now been placed in a state of concerning uncertainty due to the suspension of the ordinance. The fact that people’s lives can become extremely difficult in the absence of an effective Human Rights Commission, an independent judiciary, and provisions for preventing enforced disappearances should not be forgotten by those in power, including the head of the ruling party. At the same time, this stance is self-defeating for all political parties represented in Parliament. This is because most of them have themselves been victims of multiple forms of rights deprivation resulting from legal weaknesses in these areas—particularly the politicization and consequent ineffectiveness of state institutions such as the judiciary and the Human Rights Commission. If they have truly learned any lessons from authoritarian rule and the bloodshed of the July uprising, they should demonstrate this to the people by taking immediate steps to have these ordinances placed in Parliament in their original form for approval.”
Raising the question of how a government—whose own party had been a victim of enforced disappearances and killings during the previous authoritarian regime—has placed the ordinances related to the prevention of enforced disappearances into the “trap” of further review, and under what justification and under whose influence this has been done, the Executive Director said, “If there are any inherent weaknesses in the law, those can certainly be addressed. However, using the pretext of review to provide opportunities or immunity to parties involved in enforced disappearances and killings, or to deliberately weaken the law by requiring government approval for investigations against security forces, or by invoking ‘national security’ as a justification, would not only be self-defeating but also amount to stepping backward from the commitment to establish effective human rights in the country.”
Referring to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Ordinance, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “We urge that the ACC Ordinance be revised in line with the recommendations of the ACC Reform Commission that were included in the July Charter with consensus from all political parties, including BNP, as well as those proposals beyond the July Charter that BNP has supported in writing to the National Consensus Commission. The revised ordinance should be placed in Parliament during the current session. In doing so, we call for the inclusion of the strategically important provision for ‘an independent selection and review committee’ to ensure full independence of the ACC—despite political consensus, this provision was deliberately excluded. We also urge that corruption in the private sector be brought within the scope of the law.”
Calling for the repeal of the Police Commission Ordinance, the TIB Executive Director said, “The ordinance fails to reflect the need for an independent and neutral Police Commission, which is essential to transform the police into a people-friendly and professional force. This contradicts the recommendations and decisions included in the July Charter with consensus from all political parties, including BNP, as proposed in the National Consensus Commission. At the same time, steps must be taken to immediately form an effective Information Commission composed of impartial and competent individuals. The ‘Right to Information (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026’ must be revised—particularly regarding the definition of information, expansion of jurisdiction, and provisions related to appointment, status, and tenure of commissioners—before being placed in Parliament as a bill. In this regard, we strongly demand that all ordinances, including those recommended for suspension, be reviewed with the involvement of relevant experts and stakeholders and enacted into law without delay.”
Media Contact:
Mohammad Tauhidul Islam
Director, Outreach and Communication
Phone: +8801713107868
Email: tauhidul@ti-bangladesh.org
