National Citizen Party member secretary and lawmaker Akhtar Hossain said the government has not kept its promise to introduce stronger laws on preventing enforced disappearances. Speaking at a Tuesday roundtable at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in Segunbagicha, he alleged that draft laws restrict the National Human Rights Commission’s independent investigative authority and assign disappearance investigations to forces that may face such allegations.

Hossain said a proposed five-year punishment for families filing false disappearance complaints could intimidate victims’ relatives. He urged the government to redraft the laws with public input rather than relying only on officials and security forces. He warned that passing the drafts could reverse progress in protecting human rights and revive a culture of impunity.

Other participants also called for independent and accountable institutions. Political analyst Dilara Chowdhury questioned police responsibility for disappearance investigations, while Shahidul Alam urged retention of the commission’s independent power to investigate security-force allegations. Nabila Idris said recent legal changes weaken independent investigations and proposed special safeguards for officials instead of removing investigative powers.