Dhaka, Sep 27 (V7N) – Economist Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya has said that incidents of insecurity and human rights violations have increased in the country since July, making the establishment of a strong Human Rights Commission more urgent than ever. However, he noted that the interim government has “fallen far behind” by not forming one.

He made the remarks on Saturday (Sept 27) at a Citizen Platform dialogue on the draft National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025.

Dr. Debapriya pointed out that Bangladesh has been without a Human Rights Commission for the past year, and the one created earlier under public pressure functioned as a “toothless commission.”

Other speakers at the dialogue echoed similar concerns. They stressed that the commission was most crucial after the July political shift, but invisible pressures have prevented its formation. They also criticized the absence of workers’ rights in the commission’s mandate and remarked that human rights remain divided “between mountains and plains” by an invisible wall.

Speakers further emphasized the need for clear and transparent criteria in appointing members of the Human Rights Commission to ensure its independence and credibility.

END/SMA/AJ