The Advisory Council in principle today approved the draft of "Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance 2025" having provision of death penalty as a maximum punishment for offenders.

Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus chaired the Advisory Council meeting at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) in the city, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the city this afternoon.

"Today's approval is only in principle. It will be presented in Advisory Council meeting again after further discussions for final approval. If the ordinance comes into effect, proper protection and redress will be ensured to the victims and their families," he said. 

The press secretary said that the draft of the ordinance was prepared based on the recommendations of the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearances. 

"The government is in the process of enacting an effective law to ensure that enforced disappearances never happen again in Bangladesh. The opinions of international and national human rights organizations and relevant stakeholders have been taken into consideration while formulating the draft ordinance," he said, adding, it will serve as an important step in protecting human rights in the country. 

The draft ordinance defines enforced disappearance as a crime and proposes severe penalties, including the death sentence, Shafiqul said, adding, setting up and the use of secret detention cells have been declared a punishable offense.

It empowers the National Human Rights Commission to receive and investigate complaints, he said.

The draft ordinance includes provisions on the establishment of a special tribunal on the prevention and protection of enforced disappearances, the obligation to complete the trial within 120 days of the filing of the complaint, the protection of the rights of the victim, the informant and the witness, the compensation of the victim and the guarantee of legal assistance to the victim. 

Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad were present at the briefing.