The Advisory Council has given final in-principle approval to the draft Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Ordinance 2026, removing the earlier requirement for mandatory data localization. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam shared the decision at a briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Thursday.
He said the amendment addresses concerns raised by major global technology companies, noting that millions of people in Bangladesh use platforms such as Facebook and Google. Under the revised draft, companies will no longer be required to store all user data physically in Bangladesh or maintain synchronized local backups. Instead, real-time local data storage will apply only to critical information infrastructure, with additional restrictions retained for sensitive personal data.
Another major change involves penalties for corporate violations. The previous provision allowing imprisonment for company-related offenses has been removed, leaving financial fines as the sole punishment. According to the press secretary, this shift is expected to encourage foreign investment in cloud services and data-driven industries by reducing regulatory risk.
The Advisory Council meeting also approved structural reforms at the Shilpakala Academy, increasing its departments to nine, including new units for film, photography, new media, cultural branding, festivals, and productions. A provision has also been added allowing the government to appoint one board member from small ethnic communities to ensure broader representation and cultural inclusion.
In addition, in-principle approval was given to the Bangladesh Forest Industries Corporation Ordinance 2026, marking a shift away from extractive forest management toward environmentally sustainable use. Officials reported improved financial performance in the sector, including profits from rubber production, and said the new ordinance will allow the corporation to expand public access to its products through showrooms across the country.
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