The weekly meeting of the Council of Advisers held today at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair. Photo: CA's Press Wing

DHAKA, Oct 30, 2025 (BSS) - The government has given final approval to the draft of the Organ Transplantation Ordinance 2025, introducing a significant reform to existing organ donation laws in Bangladesh.

The Council of Advisers gave the final approval to the draft of the ordinance at its weekly meeting held at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) here with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

"Under previous legislation, you know, only immediate family members were legally permitted to donate organs such as kidneys or other vital body parts. However, in many cases, patients were compelled to travel abroad to receive transplants, often involving monetary transactions with unrelated donors, which is an unethical and illegal practice," said Law Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul. 

The adviser was addressing a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon, following the advisory council meeting held this morning.

"The newly approved ordinance expands the legal scope, allowing non-family individuals with proven emotional attachment to the recipient to donate organs voluntarily and altruistically," he said, adding that the new legal framework will enable patients to undergo transplants within Bangladesh, reducing both treatment costs and the need for foreign medical travel.
 
Professor Asif Nazrul expressed hope that the reform will significantly improve access to advanced healthcare within the country.

Speaking at the briefing, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the Council of Advisers also gave final approval to the draft of Spatial Planning Ordinance, 2025.

Besides, he said, the Council of Advisers also gave in-principle and final approval to the draft of the Maximum Age Limit for Direct Recruitment in Government, Autonomous, Semi-Autonomous, Statutory, Government Authorities and Public Non-Financial Corporations, Self-governed Organisations (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and the Forest Policy, 2025.

Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder was present at the press briefing.