The government today approved the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025, granting the Commission the authority to function as Bangladesh's National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) under international torture-prevention obligations.

The Council of Advisers today gave the final approval to the ordinance at its weekly meeting at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) here with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

"The NHRC has now been empowered to act as the NPM under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). Bangladesh is a signatory to the Convention," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon after the meeting.

The NHRC will work in line with OPCAT and will function as the National Preventive Mechanism, with the authority to independently inspect various places of detention across the country, he said.

Earlier, the Council of Advisers gave in-principle final approval to the National Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 October 30.