The Government of Bangladesh has issued a new amended ordinance to ensure legal protection and inheritance rights for families of persons who have been missing due to enforced disappearance. The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs published the ordinance in the official gazette on Tuesday, and it took immediate effect. The ordinance grants tribunals the authority to declare the property of a person missing for at least five years as distributable among legal heirs if the person has not returned alive.

According to the amendment, titled the 'Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026,' the tribunal can issue such orders after verifying the authenticity of applications submitted by heirs. The amendment also removes the requirement for prior approval from the commission for the spouse or dependents of a disappeared person to initiate legal proceedings. The new provision modifies Section 23 of the 2025 ordinance, overriding the seven-year rule under Section 108 of the Evidence Act, 1872.

Until specific regulations are formulated, the tribunal will determine the procedure for such applications independently.