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Meanwhile, the AL, whose activities have been banned since 2025, issued a press release saying, “The step taken targets not only a political party, but rather, it is a direct blow to the country’s democratic practice, fair political system, and the fundamental rights of the people.
“The initiative to ban a political institution of the masses, which has been built through the path of history, tradition, and struggle, questions the very spirit of democracy and pushes the state toward a one-party or autocratic trend.”
In parliament, the home minister and the opposition also sparred over the implementation of the ordinances related to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) when Salahuddin placed the July Mass Uprising (Protection and Liability Determination) Bill, 2026.
The bill, which was adopted as law yesterday, grants indemnity to participants in the July uprising.
It designates students and members of the general public who participated in the movement as “participants in the mass uprising” and states that all civil and criminal cases filed against them for incidents occurring during the uprising will be withdrawn, and no such cases may be filed in the future.
It also outlines procedures for disposing of pending cases.
However, complaints regarding uprising-related killings will be investigated by the NHRC, which will distinguish between political resistance and criminal acts.
If the investigation finds that the alleged act was a criminal misuse of the chaotic situation, it will initiate legal proceedings.
Conversely, if the commission concludes that the act was part of political resistance, it may order the government to provide compensation to the victim’s family, but no other legal recourse can be sought.
When Salahuddin placed the bill, Cumilla-4 MP Hasnat Abdullah, also a July uprising frontliner, pointed out that indemnity hinged on the NHRC, underscoring the need for an effective human rights commission.
“If the commission now operates under the 2009 law, it will be a fully government-controlled body. This NHRC has been used to suppress opposition parties and opinions, to engage in victim-blaming, and to legitimise enforced disappearances and killings.”
He argued that if the commission is placed under a ministry and given responsibility to investigate and review the activities of the July uprising, then such reviews will be questionable.
Salahuddin responded saying that their intentions are being misconstrued.
“We want to establish an independent NHRC, aligned with the law on enforced disappearances and the ICT Act. Enforced disappearances are now being tried by ICT under the amended law, with punishments including life imprisonment and the death penalty. They have investigating agencies and prosecution teams, so it’s better if victims of enforced disappearance can directly file cases under the ICT Act.”
He commented that the ordinance on NHRC issued by the interim government was “childish”. “The powers given to the commission lacked stakeholder consultation. We must consult stakeholders.”
The parliament yesterday also passed the Government Accounts Audit Bill, the Protection and Conservation of Fish (Amendment) Bill, the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Amendment) Bill, the Sheikh Hasina Rural Development Academy, Jamalpur (Amendment) Bill, the Security of Family Members of the Father of the Nation (Repeal) Bill, the Spatial Planning Bill, the Abandoned Houses (Supplementary Provisions) Amendment Bill, the Special Security Force Amendment Bill, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, the Bangladesh Private Export Processing Zone (Repeal) Bill, and the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, ratifying the related ordinances unchanged.