The draft National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Act, 2026 has come under sharp criticism from civil society leaders, legal experts and human rights activists, who say government-dominated appointment procedures and prior approval requirements could undermine the commission’s independence.
The proposed law, while containing some positive revisions, also has internal contradictions and provisions that could restrict the commission’s ability to investigate rights violations independently, speakers said at a consultation in Dhaka on Monday.
The meeting, titled “Draft National Human Rights Commission Act, 2026: Review and Recommendations,” was organized by the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) at Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Hall of the National Press Club.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman questioned whether the proposed selection process would produce a genuinely independent commission.
“Of the nine members of the selection committee, all except two remain under government control. Under such a structure, expecting an independent and neutral human rights commission is unrealistic,” he said.
He also criticized a provision requiring government approval to establish NHRC regional offices outside Dhaka, saying it could further undermine the commission’s institutional autonomy.
“We hope policymakers will reconsider these issues,” he said.
Nagorik Uddyog Chief Executive Zakir Hossain questioned why a body described as independent would require prior government approval to perform its functions.
“If an independent commission truly means independent, why should prior approval be necessary? Merely labelling it an independent commission does not make it one,” he said.
He also proposed that the commission’s budgetary allocations be made directly on the basis of its recommendations rather than through separate and potentially redundant funding mechanisms.
Human rights activist and former NHRC member Nur Khan Liton raised concerns over provisions requiring prior authorization for on-the-spot inspections.
“An investigation that requires prior permission holds no real value,” he said, pointing to what he described as contradictions in several provisions of the draft.
“We need a robust legal framework, but we also need to constitute a commission with honest and courageous individuals,” Liton added.
Supreme Court advocate Dr Kazi Zahed Iqbal highlighted potential legal complications involving evidence and compensation.
“There are critical questions regarding the evidentiary status of reports submitted by the commission in serious or criminal cases,” he said.
He also warned that the process of enforcing compensation could become caught up in bureaucratic delays and called for a separate, streamlined mechanism.
Sara Hossain, honorary executive director of BLAST and a senior Supreme Court advocate, called for a thorough parliamentary review of the proposed legislation.
“We want a well-thought-out Human Rights Commission Act. Section 19 has drawn significant debate given our lived experiences over the past two years,” she said.
She stressed that the commission must be capable of protecting the rights of all citizens, particularly marginalized communities, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples.
Sara said BLAST would prepare specific recommendations and submit them to the Ministry of Law, while also making them available to the public.
Other participants called for reforms to make the commission more accessible and responsive to citizens.
Shireen Parveen Huq, founder member of Naripokkho and chair of the Women Affairs Reform Commission; Barrister Khan Khalid Adnan, a Supreme Court advocate; Satej Chakma, international affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Adivasi Youth Forum; author and researcher Anupam Debashis Roy; and Bhaskar Bhattacharjee, inclusion adviser at YPSA, took part in the discussion.
They called for digital complaint mechanisms and simpler administrative and management procedures so that people in rural areas, indigenous communities and persons with disabilities can access the commission’s services more easily.
Speakers said ensuring institutional independence, transparent appointment procedures and accessible complaint and investigation mechanisms would be crucial for the NHRC to function as an effective rights-protection body.