United News of Bangladesh

The Council of Advisers on Thursday approved the draft of the Election Officials (Special Provision) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 in a bid to empower the Election Commission (EC) with stronger authority to take punitive actions against election officials in cases of irregularities and negligence in polls duty. Besides, the Council also approved the draft of Election Commission Secretariat (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 with a view to establishing an ‘Election Commission Service’ for recruiting officials for the EC Secretariat and expanding their functions. The approval came from the Council’s meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the Chief Adviser’s Office in the capital. “Due to the two proposed laws, the works of the Election Commission will speed up ahead of the election. And they (EC) will be able to take many measures very quickly,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said while briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy after the meeting.

The Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2021 was placed in Parliament on Wednesday, aiming to extend its length of time by another five years till 2026. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Nasrul Hamid placed the Bill. Read: Bill placed in parliament to replace Dev Board Ordinance The tenure of the existing law is going to expire in 2021. The cabinet on September 6 gave the final approval to the draft of Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in order to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and energy for the sake of making Bangladesh into a higher middle-income country by 2030 and a developed country by 2041. Read: Leader and Dy Leader of Opposition (Remuneration and Privileges) Bill placed in JS The tenure of the special provision, enacted in 2010, was extended on several occasions in the past. But no change other than time extension has been made to the proposed law.

The Cabinet on Monday cleared a proposal for the extension of the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010 for another five years till 2026. The approval came from the virtual cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The PM joined it from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other cabinet members were connected with the meeting from the Bangladesh Secretariat. Read: Cabinet body okays proposal for setting up 42,500 solar systems in 3 hill districts “Since the tenure of the existing law is going to expire in 2021, the proposed law was brought to extend it by another five years till 2026,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting. He said the cabinet gave the final approval to the draft of Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in order to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and energy for the sake of making Bangladesh into a higher middle-income country by 2030 and a developed country by 2041. The tenure of the special provision, enacted in 2010, was extended on several occasions in the past, he said. “But no change other than time extension has been made to the proposed law,” said the Cabinet Secretary.