Key Oversight Bodies Remain Inactive Amidst Delays in Forming Search Panels

Key oversight bodies in Bangladesh, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Information Commission, and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), are facing significant delays in their reconstitution, leaving critical safeguards for accountability, transparency, and human rights largely inactive. The slow progress in forming search committees to nominate chiefs and members for the ACC and Information Commission is a major concern.

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Progress has been slow in forming the search committees that nominate the chiefs and members of the ACC and the Information Commission.

While the Chief Justice has nominated judges to serve on these search panels, the nominations were only sent to the relevant ministries on June 14. The registrar general of the Supreme Court declined to disclose the names of these nominees. Meanwhile, the law ministry is reportedly still working on amendments to the law governing the NHRC, further delaying its reconstitution.

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the nominations for the search panels for the ACC and Information Commission were sent to the ministries concerned on June 14.

The ACC law stipulates that a new commission must be formed within a month of the chief and members stepping down. However, the ACC has been without a full commission for over three and a half months since its previous head and two commissioners resigned on March 3. Similarly, the Information Commission's reconstitution is pending the formation of a five-member search committee, led by an Appellate Division judge, which is also facing delays. The lack of progress in these essential bodies raises questions about the government's commitment to upholding fundamental rights and ensuring good governance.

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the law ministry is still working on amendments to a law related to the NHRC, delaying the commission’s reconstitution