Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Photo: PID

DHAKA, July 17, 2025 (BSS) - The Council of Advisers today gave final approval to the draft of the ‘Voters’ List (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025’.

This will allow the country’s eligible citizens to become voters until publishing the final voters’ list or they will get such opportunity when they complete 18 years.

The final draft of the ordinance was approved today at a meeting of the Council of Advisers held at the Chief Adviser’s Office.  Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus chaired it.

Later, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad briefed reporters at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

Currently, citizens who turn 18 by December each year can be included in the voters list in January of the following year.

Foyez Ahammad said, “Under the current system, only those who turn 18 by December of the previous year prior to the updating of the voters list are included in the list out of those Bangladeshi citizens who are eligible to be voters. Every year, the Election Commission publishes the draft list on January 2 and the final list on March 2.”

He went on saying, “As a result, those who turn 18 before holding of the next election can’t take part in that and they become excluded from the list. They have to wait again until the next election. Under such reality, the Election Commission thinks since the final voters list must be prepared before announcing the election schedule, those who become eligible within the rationale timeframe before the announcement of the schedule can be included in the voters list.”

In addition, the Council of Advisers also gave final approval to the draft of 'Human Organ Transplantation Ordinance, 2025'.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said that this ordinance expands the scope for donating human organs by the potential organ donors.

He said, “This will make much easier the kidney transplants in the country. It has been drafted in compliance with the international laws. The ordinance also specifies how organs can be collected from the dead bodies after death and how can be transplanted.”

Meanwhile, the meeting also gave final approval to the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025’ subject to vetting by the Legislative Division and Parliamentary Affairs Division.

In response to a question, Shafiqul Alam said that the committee formed to investigate the violence and casualties in Gopalganj would conduct a thorough investigation into the entire incident like why the incident happened, how the deaths took place and to identify those who were responsible for the violence.

Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir was also present.