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However, he said he still hoped the ruling BNP would move forward in line with its own commitments to ensure the independence of the judiciary, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the Anti-Corruption Commission, bearing in mind its past experience.

The TIB chief welcomed the move to turn 98 of the 133 ordinances into law, calling it a positive development.

At the same time, he said not all 98 ordinances were free from weaknesses. “In some cases, they appear to have been deliberately weakened,” he said.

He flagged the Public Audit Ordinance 2025 and four local government-related amendment ordinances.

About the local government ordinances, he said, “The power to remove elected representatives and appoint administrators in city corporations, municipalities, district councils, and upazila parishads has effectively been normalised. The TIB, he added, had expected an elected government to move away from that path, but instead it has continued a practice contrary to democracy, accountability, and local government empowerment.

On the NHRC ordinance, he said the issue was the commission’s administrative independence. He alleged there was an effort to bring the body under government control and criticised the proposal for prior government approval before the commission investigates allegations against security forces.

“Why should prior approval of the government be needed? … All citizens have equal rights,” he said, and objected to proposals to move powers from the courts to the executive.

On the ACC ordinance, he said the interim government had ignored recommendations of the anti-corruption reform commission.

Calling for the ordinance to be revised through consultation and turned into law without delay, he said a recommendation on creating an independent selection and review committee for the ACC had initially been accepted in principle but was later dropped, even though all political parties, especially BNP, had agreed on it.

He added that contradictory clauses in the ordinance had created room for compromise in corruption cases in the name of confession.

The anti-graft watchdog said six ordinances, including those on the ACC, the Right to Information law, personal data protection, telecom regulation, public audit, and revenue policy and management, needed revision or reconsideration. It also called for the Police Commission Ordinance 2025 and the National Data Management Ordinance to be scrapped.

Replying to questions, Iftekharuzzaman said resistance to reform was coming “from within”, both from politics and the bureaucracy. He said he would not say the government lacked goodwill, but added that examples already set showed internal resistance remained active.

Asked about the ACC, he said the body had become ineffective after the commission fell vacant, as many decisions legally require the commission itself. He called for a new commission without delay, saying, “We do not think all doors are closed.”

TIB’s Adviser for Executive Management Sumaiya Khair, Research and Policy Director Muhammad Badiuzzaman, and Outreach and Communication Director Mohammad Touhidul Islam were also present.