Updated voting list to enrol many eligible new voters

An updated voting list will enroll more eligible new voters to vote in the next elections in Bangladesh under provision of the just-amended law.

The Council of Advisers of the interim government Thursday approved the draft Voters' List (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 that provides for enlisting more eligible new voters, said the CA Press Wing in a briefing after the council meeting, presided over by Chief Adviser Prof Yunus.

"The amendment is very significant," said Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the Chief Adviser.

"Previously the list was updated in a particular month so, after that date, those who turned 18 could not be included in the voter list," said Foyez Ahmed, a spokesman for the press wing.

"So many eligible new voters were deprived of casting their vote in elections. This amendment paves the way for including eligible new voters one month before the announcement of election schedule," he said.

The interim cabinet also approved the draft 'Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2025' and the draft 'Human Organ Transplantation Ordinance 2025'.

"Organ-transplant ordinance is very crucial to people who need transplantation," Mr Shafiqul said, adding that through this amendment the list of the organ donors is expanded.

Previously, only family members like siblings, children, spouses or parents could donate organs but now provisions are included so that kith and kin of other categories can donate organs to a patient.

The approval came at the 34th meeting of the council held at the Chief Adviser's Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, said a Cabinet Division release.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com