The Council of Advisers, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, granted final approval Sunday to the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, during a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna.

The ordinance strengthens the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 by introducing provisions to ban entities involved in terrorist activities and prohibit their promotion on online and social media platforms, addressing a critical gap in the existing law.

The 2009 Act, designed to prevent and punish terrorist acts, allows the government to list individuals or entities involved in terrorism in the official gazette, either as scheduled persons or prohibited organisations.

However, it lacked explicit measures to ban the activities of such entities, a loophole the new ordinance seeks to close.

“This amendment is timely and necessary to clarify and enhance our anti-terror framework,” said a council summary, emphasising the need to adapt to evolving threats, particularly in the digital sphere.

The ordinance empowers authorities to prohibit entities’ operations and curb their propaganda online, a response to the growing use of social media to radicalise and recruit.

The amended ordinance is likely to be promulgated Monday.