In a meeting on Thursday, the Council of Advisers approved several significant decisions, including amendments to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The meeting, held at the Foreign Service Academy, was briefed by the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam.
Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul had earlier announced that the government had drafted amendments aimed at speeding up the trial and investigation process for rape cases. The proposed changes include reducing the investigation period for rape cases from 30 to 15 days, and cutting the trial time from 180 days to 90 days. Dr. Nazrul emphasized the importance of not only expediting these cases but ensuring justice and fairness. He mentioned that consultations had been held with relevant stakeholders earlier this week, and the draft amendment is now being circulated for further input.
In addition to the amendments to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, the Council of Advisers also approved changes to the Public Procurement Ordinance. These amendments aim to improve transparency, increase competition in government procurement, and dismantle existing syndicates. The new rules include the removal of the requirement to reject tender proposals below 10% of the estimated cost and the introduction of a capacity-based evaluation system, replacing the old one that led to the same companies winning contracts repeatedly. The government also plans to increase the percentage of online tender processing from 65% to 100%.
The Council also approved amendments to the law governing abandoned property management. In a bid to further support public convenience during Eid celebrations, the government has declared an additional holiday on April 3. Furthermore, a new optional leave policy for indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts has been introduced to allow them to observe cultural and social events.
Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present at the briefing.
