The Advisory Council of the interim government has approved a draft amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), introducing a provision that bars fugitive accused in criminal cases from contesting the national elections.

The approval came at a meeting of the Advisory Council held on Thursday at Tejgaon in the capital, with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Following the meeting, Law Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed the media at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, outlining the council’s decisions.

Prof Asif Nazrul said, “The amendment to the Representation of the People Order has been made to ensure that individuals who are fugitives in any criminal case cannot run in elections.”

When asked to clarify the term “fugitive,” he explained, “A fugitive is someone who fails to appear before the court despite being summoned and publicly notified, leading the court to declare the person as absconding. Anyone who remains absent during trial proceedings is also considered a fugitive.”

Earlier this month, the Advisory Council approved an amendment to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, stipulating that anyone formally charged with crimes against humanity will be ineligible to contest national or local government elections.

Trials are currently underway at the International Crimes Tribunal against several leaders of the now-banned Awami League for killings that occurred during last year’s July uprising. Many of the party’s leaders, including former ministers and MPs, have gone into hiding following the events, facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and corruption.

Under the newly approved amendment, if any of these individuals are declared fugitives by the court, they will be disqualified from running in the upcoming national elections.