Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has announced that the government will not establish a separate commission to investigate enforced disappearances. Instead, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will take on the responsibility as outlined in the newly approved ordinance.

He shared the update while speaking about the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025, which received final approval on Thursday during a meeting of the Advisory Council at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus presided over the meeting.

Nazrul stated that the draft law specifically addressing enforced disappearances has not yet been finalized but is expected to be completed next week. “The Human Rights Commission will be entrusted with handling enforced disappearance matters. There will be no separate commission for this,” he confirmed.

Commenting on the ordinance, Nazrul noted that the previous Human Rights Commission lacked adequate authority and suffered from procedural flaws in member appointments, rendering it largely ineffective. The new ordinance aims to strengthen the NHRC, granting it the power to prevent human rights abuses and function as a more meaningful institution.

The ordinance broadens the scope of human rights by including provisions from international human rights treaties recognized by Bangladesh, extending the NHRC’s jurisdiction beyond constitutional guarantees to cover international obligations.

Under the new structure, the NHRC will comprise a chairperson and four full-time members instead of the originally proposed seven. A seven-member selection committee, headed by a judge from the Appellate Division, will recommend candidates. Appointments will follow a transparent process that includes public notifications and interviews, similar to High Court judge appointments.

Nazrul added that the commission will have expanded investigative powers, including in cases involving state agencies. It will also be mandated to address enforced disappearance cases, support victims, and safeguard human rights under relevant laws.