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The Advisory Council has sent back the draft Police Commission Ordinance, 2025, one of two laws the interim government is accused of rushing through ahead of the election.
The revised draft of the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, however, has received final approval.
The two ordinances were tabled at a special meeting of the council in Dhaka on Saturday, presided over by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
The council began the session with prayers for the swift recovery of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, according to a statement from the Chief Advisor’s Office.
On the NGO ordinance, the statement said the changes bring adjustments to several sections of the existing law.
The registration process for NGOs has been eased, as have the conditions for releasing funds.
Under the revised rule, foreign donations of up to Tk 5 million per year will no longer require approval.
The ordinance has been made more accommodating for stakeholders, the statement added.
On the Police Commission Ordinance, the council instructed that the draft be placed again at the next meeting in a more detailed and revised form.
Objections to both drafts had been raised by the BNP even before the council convened.
The party argues that advancing such laws before the national election suggests a “hidden agenda” on the part of the government.
In a statement on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: “We have learnt from reliable sources that the interim government is trying to pass two laws in great haste -- one a revised police commission law, the other related to NGOs.
He said such hurried legislation ahead of the national election could “obstruct” the democratic transition.
“We believe it would be more appropriate to enact these two laws through debate in the next parliament,” he added.
Following last year’s July Uprising that toppled the Awami League government, the interim administration initiated reforms across different sectors, including police restructuring.
Recommendations from the Police Reform Commission suggested that the structure, functions, and scope of a police commission should be decided through broader consultation.
Later, the July National Charter -- finalised with consensus among political parties and alliances --endorsed the formation of an independent police commission.
The proposal received agreement from 30 parties and alliances.