Year
2025
Reform Domain
Women
Sub Domain
Policy-related
Source of Reform Proposals
Women's Reform Commission Report
Reform Proposed
Reform Initiated
Legal and Policy Framework
Operationalisation
Action Implementation
Stage of Implementation
Reform Proposed
Last Update: 29-Jul-26
This reform proposal has been articulated in the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission Report. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s manifesto for the 13th National Parliamentary Election also included the following similar pledges: “Enhancing reproductive and mental health support” and “Women’s social and economic empowerment.”
Reform Initiated
Last Update: 29-Jul-26
On 2020, the High Court issued a suo motu rule (on its own motion) asking why access to safe drinking water should not be declared a fundamental right and whether ensuring safe drinking water is the constitutional responsibility of the State. The matter remained pending before the High Court. The Court appointed three amicus curiae (Manzill Murshid, Minhajul Haque Chowdhury, and Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab) to assist on constitutional and legal issues.
Legal and Policy Framework
Last Update: 29-Jul-26
On February 27, 2025, after the final hearing, the High Court delivered its judgment, declaring access to safe drinking water a fundamental right under Article 32 of the Constitution and issuing a series of directions to the government.
On 30 October 2025, the interim government issued a gazette declaring selected areas of Rajshah , Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Patiya in Chattogram as water-critical areas and imposed restrictions on groundwater extraction and use.
On 1 January 2026, the High Court published the full 16-page written verdict, explaining the legal reasoning and detailed implementation directions.
Observation
-
No publicly verifiable evidence has been identified showing that the elected government has initiated this specific reform proposal. However, on 30 October 2025, the interim government issued a gazette declaring selected areas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Patiya in Chattogram as water-critical areas and imposed restrictions on groundwater extraction and use. In addition, the High Court's recognition of access to safe drinking water as a fundamental right are relevant to the proposal, but the reviewed evidence does not establish that salinity exposure or women’s long-distance water collection was used as a specific basis for designation. In addition, the High Court's recognition of access to safe drinking water as a fundamental right is relevant to this proposal. However, the reviewed evidence does not establish that salinity exposure or women's long-distance water collection was specifically cited as a basis for designating these areas as water-critical.
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