Dhaka: The Cabinet on Sunday cleared the draft 'Public Procurement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026' to make several changes to the country's public procurement system. The draft ordinance received both in-principle and final approval at a meeting of the Cabinet held at the Bangladesh Secretariat, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division placed the draft before the Cabinet.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the proposed amendments to the ordinance seek to protect local industries, create greater competition in public procurement, expand provisions related to the administration and management of procurement contracts, and modernise procedures under the open tendering method. A press release issued by the Cabinet Division highlighted these goals as central to the proposed changes.
The draft ordinance also proposes provisions for ratio-based evaluation of goods, works, and physical services under procurement, known internationally as the 'Rated Criteria' concept. This is aimed at promoting sustainable procurement practices. Additionally, it suggests applying the limited tendering method to ensure balanced resource distribution, clarifying provisions related to professional misconduct, and maintaining an alternative procurement arrangement for urgent requirements of the country.
The final approval of the draft ordinance is subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.