Dhaka: Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan today announced plans to establish a human rights commission designed to protect people from experiencing injustice.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Adilur Rahman Khan emphasized that the draft of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of 2025 aims to address issues such as enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, and torture in custody, which have been persistent problems. He highlighted that during previous government regimes, including a fascist one, many were victims of injustice, often within the courts themselves.
The statements were made during a national consultation on the draft National Human Rights Commission Ordinance, 2025, at the InterContinental Hotel ballroom in the capital. Adilur stressed the importance of the initiative taken by the Interim Government, which he believes will lead to the establishment of a genuine human rights commission.
He criticized the ineffectiveness of systems in Bangladesh over the past 15 and a half years, stating that both the judiciary and previous human rights commissions lacked efficacy. The NHRC established during the army-supported government, he noted, was filled with political appointees and failed to ensure the rights of the people.
Adilur called for collective efforts to overcome the current situation and emphasized the need to act quickly before the national election to prevent future injustices. He underscored the importance of building institutions systematically, referring to the sacrifices made for a "New Bangladesh."
The event also featured speeches from Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, and other notable figures including Swiss Ambassador Reto Siegfried Renggli and UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller. Romana Schweiger, Law, Justice and Security Adviser at UNDP Bangladesh, moderated the event attended by senior officials, university representatives, and human rights advocates.