Staff Reporter :
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a proposal to the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division to amend the NHRC Act 2009.
The proposed amendments include allowing the commission to directly investigate allegations against law enforcement agencies and increasing the number of selection committee members for appointing chairpersons and commissioners.
The decision to send the amendment proposal to the division was made at the 111th Commission Meeting of the 6th NHRC on 1 October, reads a media statement issued on Tuesday (12 November).
Following the fall of the Awami League government, all members, including the chairman, of the 6th NHRC resigned on 7 October.
However, as per the decisions of the 1 October meeting, NHRC Secretary Sebastin Rema sent the proposals to the Legislative Division on Tuesday.
In its last meeting, the 6th NHRC decided that it is necessary to propose amendments to various sections/sub-sections of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2009.
This amendment aims to empower the NHRC to investigate and address human rights violations in light of the principles related to the standards (Paris Principles) of national institutions for the protection and development of human rights.
In one of its proposals, the commission asked the legislative division to take steps for the “abolition of Section 18 of the NHRC Act to allow the commission jurisdiction of direct investigation against law enforcement agencies”.
The NHRC Act’s Section 18 titled “The Procedure to be followed in case of disciplined force” currently does not allow the commission to directly investigate law enforcers.
Section 18 allows the commission to call for a report from the government on the allegation of violation of human rights by the disciplined force or any of its members. If satisfied with the report, the “commission would not proceed in the matter any further”.
However, if the commission deems it necessary, it may make a recommendation to the government for actions to be taken into the matter.
Section 18 also states that the government must inform the commission in writing about the action taken into the matter within six months from the date of receipt of the recommendation.
Meanwhile, the commission, in its proposal, also asked the government to amend Section 7 (1) to increase the number of members of the selection committee for the appointment of the chairperson and commissioners to nine from seven.
It recommended that the additional members be a judge of the High Court Division nominated by the Chief Justice of Bangladesh and a representative of the civil society who will be nominated by the speaker.
The NHRC also seeks to be bestowed upon the authority to issue bailable arrest warrants for any summoned individuals who fail to appear before it.