Members of Bangladesh human rights body resign over govt inaction

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DHAKA:  All five members of Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) resigned on Monday to protest the newly elected government’s failure to formalize strengthened legal authorities for the body. 

The mass resignation follows the lapse of several human rights ordinances introduced by the previous interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The outgoing members, including prominent activist Noor Khan, stated that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which secured a landslide victory in February failed to table essential rights-related bills during the first session of parliament. By failing to enact the 2025 National Human Rights Commission Ordinance, the body has reverted to a 2009 law. Critics argue the older framework is ineffective, as it lacks the power to investigate abuses committed by security agencies.

The resigning commissioners described the situation as a liability to victims of human rights abuses, noting that without updated legislation, the commission remains ‘toothless.’ In response, the new Law Minister, Asaduzzaman, stated that the lapsed ordinances are being reviewed to create a ‘more contemporary and effective framework’ to avoid legal conflicts with existing statutes.