Enforced disappearance: Draft ordinance proposes death penalty as maximum punishment

Investigations into cases where enforced disappearances result in death will be carried out by the Human Rights Commission (HRC) or under its supervision, according to a new draft ordinance.

The draft of the "Enforced Disappearance Prevention, Remedies and Protection Ordinance 2025", which proposes the death penalty as the maximum punishment for offenders, received approval in principle from the Advisory Council at its weekly meeting today, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, sources confirmed.

The proposed law also states that filing a false case of enforced disappearance, if proven in court, will lead to up to two years' imprisonment and a financial penalty.

The ordinance defines an enforced disappearance as a situation where a government employee or law enforcement member -- acting alone or with authorisation or tacit approval -- arrests, detains, abducts, or otherwise deprives a person of liberty, while denying such actions and concealing the person's fate or whereabouts, placing them outside legal protection.

Under the draft, individuals convicted of the offense will face life imprisonment or up to 10 years in jail, along with a fine of up to Tk 50 lakh.