Advisory Council to remain in charge until elected govt takes over: CAO

The clarification comes after remarks by Mahfuj Alam suggested the council’s work could end in November

The interim government has announced that the Advisory Council will continue to fulfil its duties and hold regular meetings until power is handed over to an elected administration.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) outlined the duration of the government’s mandate.

The statement sought to clear any "confusion" created by Information Advisor Mahfuj Alam's comments on Sunday, suggesting that the activities of the Advisory Council would end in November.

“At a Meet the Reporters event organised by Reporters Unity on Sunday, Information and Broadcasting Advisor Mahfuj Alam made some comments about the activities of the Advisory Council, which created some confusion after being published in the media," the CAO said.

"In fact, it is not correct to say that the reforms and policy formulation undertaken by the government must be completed by November. Rather, the reform process will continue in full swing."

The CAO stressed that the Advisory Council would continue to carry out its regular duties and hold meetings as usual until power is transferred to an elected government.

At the DRU event, Mahfuj said the Reform Commission had submitted 23 urgent recommendations for implementation and after reviewing them, the ministry was working on implementing 13 of the proposals.

"The cabinet will close in November, so we aim to complete what needs to be done within the next month,” Mahfuj added.

Recently, during a meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, the BNP urged the interim government to act in a neutral capacity during the election period. Against the backdrop of that meeting, the information advisor’s remarks were seen as hinting at a possible shift in the government’s approach.