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National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh

constitutional · verified (verified 2026-05-17)

Profile

Head
—
Role
Chairman
Annual budget
—
Staff
—
Established
2008
Legal basis
National Human Rights Commission Act 2009 (passed 14 July 2009, retrospective from 1 September 2008), replacing the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2007 (promulgated 9 December 2007 by the Caretaker Government). The Interim Government issued the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025 with expanded powers, but parliament allowed it to lapse on 11 April 2026; the body reverted to the NHRC Act 2009.

As of 17 May 2026 the NHRC is effectively headless: all five members appointed in February 2026 resigned on 14 April 2026 after the NHRC Ordinance 2025 lapsed on 11 April. The commission operates under the weaker NHRC Act 2009, losing its expanded powers to investigate security forces and monitor detention under OPCAT. The government has stated it will introduce new bills but has not done so. The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED) had separately documented 1,772 enforced disappearance cases (2009-2024) and 345 individuals still unaccounted for; forensic exhumation of 114 unidentified July 2024 protest victims began in December 2025. Minority rights violations persisted in 2025, including 28 attacks on minority communities, violence in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and overcrowded prisons holding 70% pre-trial detainees at over three times designed capacity.

Recent activity

Provenance & notes

Established 9 December 2007 by Caretaker Government ordinance; reconstituted under NHRC Act 2009 (retrospective from 1 September 2008; established_year set to 2008 reflecting operative start). The commission is currently headless: the entire bench appointed 5 February 2026 resigned en masse on 14 April 2026 after the NHRC Ordinance 2025 lapsed. current_head set to null, head_since set to null to reflect this vacancy as of 17 May 2026. Budget figures not publicly disaggregated in available national budget documents; annual_budget_bdt left null. Chairperson Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury (appointed 5 February 2026, took office 8 February 2026, resigned 14 April 2026) previously chaired the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. The COIED (separate from NHRC) documented 1,772 cases of enforced disappearance 2009-2024, of which 345 persons remain unaccounted for; its mandate was extended through December 2025. Eight dedicated Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Tribunals were established (one per division) but their legal foundation is now uncertain following ordinance lapse. Staff count not publicly disaggregated.

Sources