Published: 11:28 PM, 03 August 2026 Last Update: 11:32 PM, 03 August 2026
Cabinet okays draft of Enforced Disappearances Prevention and Redress Act 2026
The Cabinet on Monday cleared the draft of the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Act, 2026 with a view to introducing a comprehensive legal framework to criminalize enforced disappearances, ensure justice, compensation and rehabilitation for victims.
The approval came from a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
The Ministry of Home Affairs placed the draft law before the Cabinet, which gave its final approval subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.
During the tenure of the last interim government, the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance, 2025 was promulgated. However, the ordinance ceased to have effect after it was not ratified by the current Parliament.
The Cabinet also gave the final approval to the draft of the Transfer of Property (Amendment) Act, 2026 in order to allow the donors to retain the lifetime usufruct rights, enabling them to continue using and enjoying the property during their lifetime.
The Law and Justice Division placed the proposed law in the meeting. The Cabinet cleared the draft law, subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.
The existing Transfer of Property Act, 1882 did not contain any specific provision allowing parents or grandparents to donate property to their children or grandchildren while securing their legal right to use the property for the rest of their lives. The proposed law seeks to address that gap by providing legal protection for such arrangements.
Besides, the Cabinet approved a proposal to cancel the Essential Medicines List 2026 and the Drug Pricing Method 2026 as the two instruments were prepared without the mandatory consultation with the National Drug Advisory Council, as required under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 2023.
The validity of the Essential Medicines List and the drug pricing mechanism introduced in January 2026 was challenged before the High Court, where the matter is now pending.
