Bangladesh's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the country's highest statutory body mandated to protect fundamental rights, has remained largely paralysed for most of the past two years, leaving more than 1,200 complaints unresolved and raising concerns over accountability for human rights violations.
The commission operated with a full leadership for only about two months�"from February to April this year�"before legislative changes once again left it without a chairman or commissioners, effectively halting its core functions.
The latest crisis began on April 9, when Parliament passed the National Human Rights Commission (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, repealing the interim government's National Human Rights Commission Ordinance, 2025 and restoring the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2009.
The watchdog has been without a functioning commission for months, leaving more than 1,200 complaints unresolved
The move automatically dissolved the commission headed by Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, who had been appointed chairman on February 5 along with commissioners Nur Khan Liton, Nabila Idris and others.
In an open letter, the former commissioners said their appointments had effectively been cancelled through legislative changes rather than a formal removal process. They argued that the decision weakened Bangladesh's human rights protection system and could affect investigations into alleged abuses during the July uprising.
According to official figures, 1,283 complaints remained pending as of June. Of these, 538 were awaiting reports from government agencies, while 745 newly received complaints had yet to be acted upon. During its brief tenure, Justice Moinul's commission disposed of only 54 cases.
An NHRC official, requesting anonymity, said routine administrative work continues but the commission's statutory functions have stopped.
"Secretarial and routine office work are going on. However, without a chairman and commissioners, investigations, bench proceedings and inspection activities have completely stopped," the official told the Daily Observer.
The leadership vacuum comes as rights organisations continue to document widespread abuses.
According to the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), 102 people were killed in 198 incidents of mob violence during the first five months of this year. The organisation also recorded 772 incidents of political violence, leaving 96 people dead. During the same period, 1,269 women and girls faced violence, including 298 rape victims, while 251 children died from various causes.
Separate data from Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) recorded 89 mob-related deaths, 239 rape victims, 85 attempted rape cases and 26 rape-related killings between January and May. The Bangladesh Mahila Parishad documented 1,035 incidents of violence against women and girls, including 250 rapes and 237 killings.
Law Minister Asaduzzaman defended the repeal of the 2025 ordinance, saying it contained legal ambiguities over investigation timelines and penalties. He said the government has prepared a draft of the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2026 after consultations with stakeholders.
However, rights groups have questioned whether the proposed law would strengthen the commission.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the draft law strips away several powers granted under the interim government's ordinance and warned that a government-controlled commission would ultimately be counterproductive.
"The government or political force that weakens state institutions for short-term political gains eventually suffers the consequences, because no government remains in power forever," he said.
TIB has proposed 19 amendments, including greater financial autonomy, a more transparent appointment process and stronger investigative powers.
Human rights advocates say restoring a fully independent and functioning commission is now essential, warning that without one, victims have fewer avenues for impartial investigation and accountability.
