On Thursday (October 17, 2024 AD), a meeting of the Advisory Council was held at the office of the Chief Adviser at Tejgaon in the capital under the chairmanship of the Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. In the meeting, the draft of Foreign Employment and Migrant Ordinance was approved in principle and final. Apart from this, the meeting also approved the list of public holidays for 2025 AD.

The draft Foreign Employment and Immigration Ordinance states:
The ‘Foreign Employment and Migrants (Amendment) Act, 2023’ was enacted to further amend the ‘Foreign Employment and Migrants Act, 2013’ for safe, orderly and regular migration of migrant workers. As Section 35 has been newly replaced in the amended Act of 2023, currently there is a provision to impose punishment only if a recruiting agency sets up a branch office or appoints a sub-agent or representative without the approval of the government or if a person presents himself in that sense. Due to other offenses under this Act, the scope of punishment by mobile court has been narrowed.

The original section 35 of the Foreign Employment and Migrants Act, 2013 which was substituted by the amended Act of 2023 to increase the scope of imposition of penalties through mobile courts with a view to preventing various irregularities in the immigration process, reducing complaints and deterring crimes is partially amended as follows “Section 35A .Punishment for other offences.” It is proposed to include as –

“If any person violates any of the provisions of this Act not specifically mentioned in this Act, he shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding 6 (six) months or a fine not exceeding 50 (fifty) thousand taka or with both.”

In view of the urgent need to monitor complaints related to migration, strengthen enforcement activities and consider the urgent need to add the above Section-35A to the Foreign Employment and Migrants Act, 2013 in the public interest. The said Ordinance was approved at the Advisory Council meeting.

Approval of the list of public holidays for 2025 AD.

Calendar of 1431-1432 Bangla produced by Bangla Academy, list of various religious episodes sent from Ministry of Religious Affairs, Following the list of the first date of the Arabic month and the list of Islamic periods and the holiday list of 2024 AD, the holiday list of 2025 AD has been prepared from Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

Subjects included in the list of approved holidays are as follows:

(a) 12 (times) general holidays on the occasion of national days and important religious occasions of various communities. Among these holidays, 05 (five) weekends (03 Fridays and 2 Saturdays).

(b) 14 (fourteen) days official holiday by executive order on the occasion of Bengali New Year and various important religious festivals; Out of which 04 (four) weekends (02 Fridays and 02 Saturdays).

(c) details of religious occasions for the employees of the Republic to enjoy optional leave of not more than 03 (three) days in a year on the occasion of religious occasions.

(d) 02 (two) days optional leave on the occasion of celebration of major social festival Baisabi or similar social festival to the employees belonging to various minority groups working in Chittagong Hill Tracts area and outside. Among these holidays, 01 (one) weekend (01 Saturday).

(e) It is proposed to declare 12 (twelve) days of general holidays and 14 (fourteen) days of public holidays for the year 2025. That is, the proposed total leave (09 days weekend excluding 05 Fridays and 04 Saturdays) is 26-09=17 days. It may be noted that the total leave allowed in 2024 AD (02 days weekend excluding Friday) was 22-02=20 days.
List of Government Holidays 2025 has been approved by the Advisory Council-Meeting.