The weekly meeting of the Advisory Council was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, during which key decisions were taken on legal reforms, environmental protection and foreign diplomacy.
The Advisory Council gave both policy-level and final approval to the draft Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, according to CA Press Wing.
Under the ordinance, if a person remains missing for at least five years and does not return alive, the tribunal will be able to officially declare the person as “disappeared.”
The government will be empowered to appoint the required number of public prosecutors to the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy Tribunal based on recommendations from the National Human Rights Commission.
The ordinance also allows victims or complainants to appoint lawyers for the tribunal at their own initiative.
In addition, the spouse of a disappeared person or any dependent family member will be permitted to use the property of the disappeared person without prior approval from the commission.
The council also approved in principle the draft Bangladesh Haor and Wetlands Conservation Ordinance 2025.
The meeting noted that Bangladesh’s haor ecosystem is rare and unique globally but is facing severe threats due to unplanned embankment construction obstructing rivers and waterways, the uncontrolled use of pesticides and chemicals, and the negative impact of tourism.
It also observed that the existing legal framework for protecting wetlands remains inadequate.
Under the new ordinance, the specific responsibilities, authority and jurisdiction of the Bangladesh Haor and Wetlands Development Directorate will be clearly defined.
Provisions have been included to issue protection ordinances aimed at conserving biodiversity, the environment, habitats and ecosystems in haor and wetland areas.
The ordinance also provides for declaring protected haor and wetland zones to ensure their preservation.
The ordinance outlines prohibited activities in haor and wetland areas, classifies violations as criminal offences, and specifies penalties for such offences.
It further makes it mandatory to seek the opinion of the directorate when implementing development projects in these areas, subject to defined exceptions.
The ordinance also grants authority to formulate rules, regulations and guidelines to ensure coordination with other agencies, engage local stakeholders and include them in conservation activities.
In another decision, the Advisory Council approved a proposal to establish a new Bangladesh embassy in Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
Since independence, Bangladesh has maintained a permanent mission in Geneva, which has been handling both United Nations-related work and bilateral embassy functions due to the absence of a resident embassy in Bern.
Considering Switzerland’s role as an important development partner and strategic ally of Bangladesh, the council decided to open an embassy in Bern.
Initially, the embassy will begin operations with the appointment of an ambassador, a first secretary and a limited number of officials and staff.
Bangladesh currently operates 82 mission offices across the world.
The meeting also discussed the health condition of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and a frontline figure of the July mass uprising, noting that his condition remains critical.
The council was informed that Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has been in regular contact with the chief adviser regarding Hadi’s condition.
A senior official from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrived in Singapore on Wednesday and is directly overseeing Hadi’s medical treatment.
In addition, the Advisory Council expressed special thanks to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs for successfully organising the observance of Victory Day this year in a smooth and dignified manner.
LND/SAE
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