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SANGSAD BHABAN, April 9, 2026 (BSS) - The National Human Rights Commission (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026 was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad today.

The bill was passed by voice vote.

Earlier, an objection raised by NCP lawmaker from Cumilla-4, Md Abul Hasnat, was rejected through a voice vote.

With the passage of the legislation, an ordinance issued during the interim government will be repealed, and the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2009 will come back into force. However, actions taken under the now-repealed ordinance will remain protected.

Opposition members in the House today argued that reviving the 2009 law could reopen the door for using the commission as a tool for ‘political repression’.

Speaking on behalf of the opposition, NCP leader Md. Abul Hasnat (Cumilla-4) warned that the move could push the country backwards.

In response, Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman dismissed the opposition’s concerns, saying the remarks were more suited to political rallies than parliamentary debate.

He argued that the 2025 ordinance contained significant ambiguities and provisions that could undermine victims’ rights, including Section 16, which he described as ‘problematic’.

The minister said the ordinance required extensive review and consultation with stakeholders before it could be enacted into law. He warned that leaving the ordinance in its current form could weaken related legal frameworks, including laws concerning enforced disappearances.

To avoid a vacuum in the country’s human rights oversight, the government opted to temporarily reinstate the 2009 law, he said.

Asaduzzaman emphasised that the earlier law provides for an independent commission with enhanced authority and insisted there was no reason for concern.

He also proposed forming a special parliamentary committee to consider constitutional amendments and broader human rights reforms, including consultations with victims and marginalised communities.

Highlighting the government’s record, the minister claimed that no incidents of crossfire or enforced disappearances had occurred during the current administration’s 42 days in office, signalling its commitment to human rights protections.

The Law Minister further said members of the current ruling party had themselves been victims of human rights violations over the past 17 years, particularly citing the BNP and the Zia family, and pledged that the government would not pursue politics of revenge.

The bill’s passage marks a significant policy shift in the country’s human rights governance, setting the stage for further legal and institutional reforms following consultations with stakeholders.