Cabinet approves changes to Public Procurement Ordinance

The Cabinet today gave in principle and final approval to the draft 'Public Procurement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026' aimed at protecting the interests of domestic industries and increasing competition in public procurement.

The approval was given at the 21st Cabinet meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat here, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair, said a Cabinet Division press release.

The draft ordinance seeks to create greater competition in public procurement, expand provisions related to the management and administration of procurement contracts, and modernise procedures under the open tendering method.

It also proposes introducing ratio-based evaluation of rated criteria in the procurement of goods, works and physical services to promote sustainable procurement, a concept widely practised internationally.

The proposed amendments also include provisions for applying the limited tendering method to ensure equitable distribution of resources, clarifying provisions related to professional misconduct, and introducing an alternative procurement arrangement for state emergencies.

The draft ordinance was placed before the Cabinet by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division.

The Cabinet gave final approval to the draft ordinance subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.