NHRC chairman, 5 members quit

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kamal Uddin Ahmed, along with the commission's five other members, resigned from their positions yesterday.

They submitted their resignations separately to President Mohammed Shahabuddin, citing section 6(4) of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2009.

Those who resigned include full-time member Selim Reza. The others are members Tania Haque, Biswajit Chanda, Kongjari Chowdhury, and Aminul Islam.

The president appointed Kamal as chairman of the commission for a three-year term on December 10, 2022, with a rank equivalent to a justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

Kamal had previously served as a full-time member of the commission in an earlier term.

The commission was formed in December 2008 after the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2007 was promulgated with effect from September 1, 2008.

Parliament passed the act in 2009 and the commission was later reconstituted as a national advocacy institution for human rights promotion and protection.

Following the fall of the Awami League regime led by Sheikh Hasina on August 5, numerous government agencies have undergone major reshuffles, leading to a wave of resignations.