Published : 04 Aug 2026, 04:38 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:30 AM
The government has greenlit proposed legislation establishing maximum penalties alongside provisions to recover compensation from the assets of convicted perpetrators in cases of enforced disappearance.
The draft of the "Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Act, 2026" received both in-principle and final approval on Monday during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat.
Under the proposed law, strict deadlines are mandated.
Investigations must be completed within a maximum of 120 days, and judicial proceedings must conclude within a further 120 days.
According to a Cabinet Division statement, the draft law stipulates a maximum sentence of life imprisonment along with fines for the offence of enforced disappearance.
However, if an enforced disappearance results in death, if a body is recovered, or if the individual cannot be rescued alive or dead after five years, the convict may face the death penalty or life imprisonment, as well as a fine of up to Tk 10 million.
The proposed legislation includes provisions for state-funded legal aid, medical care, rehabilitation, and a compensation fund for affected families, alongside mechanisms to recover compensation directly from the assets of convicted individuals.
If a convicted person lacks sufficient assets, the state will step in to provide the required sum.
The statement said that to uphold human rights, dignity, personal liberty, and the rule of law, the proposed law defines enforced disappearance as a distinct, cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable criminal offence.
The Act will establish an integrated legal framework to prevent enforced disappearances, prosecute responsible parties, trace missing persons, and guarantee the rights, compensation, and rehabilitation of victims and their families, it added.
