Govt mulls HR commission, ombudsman: Mainul

FE Team | Published: July 13, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

The emergency government is thinking of forming an independent human-rights commission and an ombudsman's office.
Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and Information Mainul Hosein told the bdnews24.com over telephone Thursday.
"We are considering the pros and cons for appointing an ombudsman. The government will need and seek the cooperation of the mass media in raising public awareness to this end", the law adviser said.
"The government has made the necessary decision to form a [human-rights] commission as soon as possible", Mainul said.
The law ministry will place the proposal before the interim cabinet for a final approval as soon as it is through with the vetting, sources familiar with the matter said. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government had formed a cabinet committee to form the commission, which finalised the Draft Human Rights Ordinance 2002.
The draft law was placed in a cabinet meeting, which asked for its further scrutiny.
"The army chief has stressed the need for appointing an ombudsman, which is also very much in line with our constitution. The government is now weighing the matter seriously", Mainul said.
Law ministry sources said the 1972 constitution incorporated the provision of an ombudsman, but the required law for appointing an ombudsman or establishing the ombudsman's office was enacted before 1980.
Despite pledging in the election manifestos, both Awami League (AL) and BNP managed not to live up to the promise.
The AL held meetings to update the ombudsman act while in office and developed a draft law, but there was no further progress.