Staff Reporter :
The interim government’s Advisory Council has given policy approval to the draft “Prevention, Remedies and Protection against Enforced Disappearance Ordinance, 2025,” which introduces the death penalty and other stringent punishments for crimes of enforced disappearance.
The decision came at the council’s 40th meeting, held Thursday morning at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon under the chairmanship of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Later, at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters on the meeting’s outcomes.
Shafiqul Alam said the proposed law defines enforced disappearance as a continuing crime, prescribing capital punishment in severe cases. It also declares the establishment or use of secret detention facilities a punishable offense.
The draft empowers the National Human Rights Commission to receive and investigate complaints of disappearance, while providing for the creation of special tribunals dedicated to such cases.
“The ordinance sets a 120-day timeframe for completing trials after framing charges, ensures compensation and legal aid for victims, and guarantees protection for victims, whistleblowers, and witnesses,” Shafiqul Alam told reporters.
He added that Thursday’s decision was only a policy-level approval, with the draft to return to the council for final approval after further discussion.
Alongside the ordinance, the council approved proposals affecting the country’s border trade infrastructure.
Three land ports – Chilahati in Nilphamari, Daulatganj in Chuadanga, and Tegamukh in Rangamati – have been ordered closed. Operations at Balla land port in Chunarughat, Habiganj, will remain suspended until further notice.
The Advisory Council also approved the proposal to officially recognize October 17, the death anniversary of mystic poet Lalon Shah, as a “Category A” national day.
Thursday’s press conference was also attended by Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Fayez Ahmed.
The move to criminalize enforced disappearance marks a historic step for Bangladesh, where rights organizations have long demanded stronger protections against the practice. However, officials noted that the draft law will undergo additional scrutiny before being formally promulgated.
