It approved a proposal for drafting the Bar Council (temporary provision) Ordinance-2007 to make legal provision for completing Bar Council elections before December 31, 2007.

Chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, the Council of Adviser in its regular weekly meeting also approved legal instruments for commercialisation of the national airlines, Biman, by transforming it into a company and waived restrictions on hiring foreign ships for export-import trade.

An official announcement said the meeting approved in principle the International Long Distance Telecommunications Services (ILDTS) Policy 2007 in place of the Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP Policy.

"After a thorough discussion, the Council of Advisers also approved a proposal for formulating the draft of Bar Council (temporary provision) Ordinance-2007 to incorporate provision for completing Bar Council election before December 31, 2007 as lawyers are facing various problems, including awarding certificates, in absence of the elected organisation of the lawyers," said the announcement.

The meeting was informed that the tenure of the elected bar council has already expired.

"As per provision of Article 8 of the Bar Council Order, holding Bar Council election by May 31 was mandatory. Holding the election was not possible in due time because of promulgation of a state of emergency in the country," the council was told.

The council also approved Memorandum and Articles of Association of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited as per Company Act of 1994 to transform Bangladesh Biman Corporation into Public Limited Company.

Approval was also given to the draft of Bangladesh Flag Vessels (protection) Ordinance (Amendment) Ordinance 2007 to make permanently effective the provision of general waiver according to the Bangladesh Flag Vessel (Protection) Ordinance 1982.

All advisers to the caretaker government, the cabinet secretary, chief adviser's press secretary and secretaries of the ministries concerned were present.