Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has called on the government to extend the consultation period for the draft Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Act, 2026, saying stakeholders should be given more time to review and provide feedback on the proposed legislation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, TIB said the Ministry of Home Affairs uploaded the draft law to its website on July 27 and set July 28 as the deadline for submitting opinions.
The organization described the one-day consultation period as inadequate and urged the government to extend it by at least two weeks to ensure meaningful participation by victims of enforced disappearance and other stakeholders.
TIB also expressed concern over what it described as a recent pattern of important legislation being introduced and passed in Parliament without sufficient scrutiny.
The organization referred to the passage of the Invest Bangladesh Act, 2026, and said it feared a similar process could be followed for the proposed enforced disappearance law.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the draft contains several positive provisions, including recognizing enforced disappearance as a separate criminal and continuing offence, holding senior officials and those issuing orders accountable, and rejecting national security or similar grounds as justification for enforced disappearance.
However, he said the limited time provided for public feedback raised questions about the government's commitment to obtaining views from victims and other relevant stakeholders.
The organization also questioned a provision assigning responsibility for investigating enforced disappearance cases to the police instead of the National Human Rights Commission.
According to TIB, concerns remain over whether the police can conduct independent and impartial investigations into such cases, given allegations that members of law enforcement agencies were involved in enforced disappearances during the previous administration.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the ordinance issued during the interim government had assigned investigative responsibility to the National Human Rights Commission and questioned why that approach had been changed in the proposed law.
TIB also raised concerns about Section 15 of the draft, which allows investigating officers to submit interim reports and enables a competent magistrate to discharge senior officials if sufficient evidence is not found.
The organization argued that, under the existing administrative structure, subordinate officers may face difficulties investigating or reporting against senior officials. It said the provisions could weaken accountability and risk protecting those accused of involvement in enforced disappearances.
According to TIB, retaining such provisions could allow executive authorities to maintain influence over investigations and shape the official narrative surrounding enforced disappearance cases.
The organization noted that many political leaders and activists from both ruling and opposition parties, as well as ordinary citizens, were victims of enforced disappearance during the previous government, while the whereabouts of many people remain unknown.
TIB urged the government to revise the draft law through an inclusive consultation process, incorporating recommendations from victims, civil society and other stakeholders, and aligning the legislation with international best practices.