President gives consent to Foreign Donations Regulation Bill

President Abdul Hamid today gave consent to a bill controversial for a provision that makes it an offence for foreign-funded NGOs to make "inimical" and "derogatory" remarks on the constitution and constitutional bodies. 

He consented to the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Bill along with five other bills passed in the last session of Jatiya Sangsad, said a press release issued by the parliament secretariat.

With his consent, the provisions of the bills took effect.

The bills are Bangladesh Bridge Authority Bill, 2016, Railway Property (Unlawful Possession Reclamation) Bill, 2016, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Bill, 2016, "Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Tea Bill 2016, and Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

He gave the consent to foreign funded NGO bill within five days into local and foreign NGOs' call to him to give assent to the bill.