Bangla Press Desk: The parliamentary special committee formed to determine the fate of ordinances issued by the interim government has reached its final stage, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has said.
Speaking to journalists after the committee’s second meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat on Wednesday (25 March), he noted that more than 120 ordinances had already been reviewed. At the first meeting on Tuesday, 40 ordinances were examined. The committee’s third meeting has been scheduled for the night of 29 March.Committee members said decisions are being made by categorising 133 ordinances into three groups. Some will be passed as bills in their current form by the relevant ministries. Others will be presented as bills with necessary amendments. The remaining ordinances, on which no consensus is reached, will lapse during the current session and may be reintroduced as new bills in a future session.
The law minister said that, following extensive review, a clear decision had been reached on most ordinances, including which would be retained and which would be scrapped. A final list is now being sorted and will be detailed in a report to be submitted on 2 April.
He emphasised that the “July Charter” remains a highly respected document and that constitutional amendments are essential to implement Articles 1 to 47 of its 84 provisions. Any attempt to bypass it would contradict the charter, he said, adding that all steps are being taken in line with both the Constitution and the July Charter.
After the meeting, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that members had reached consensus on four ordinances related to “July protection”, which would be placed in Parliament in their original form. He added that, under parliamentary rules, existing ordinances must be approved before new bills are passed to avoid legal complications. He noted that both the July National Charter and constitutional principles were given top priority during the review.
Although discussions on most ordinances have concluded, further deliberations are needed on key issues, including the Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the Human Rights Commission Act. The next session of the committee is set for 8:30pm on 29 March, when remaining matters are expected to be finalised.
Earlier, committee chairman Advocate Zainul Abedin said all 133 ordinances issued by the interim government would be placed in Parliament as bills. Copies have already been distributed among MPs, and the government is hopeful of a swift decision.
However, committee member and Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan criticised a proposal to repeal the referendum bill, saying it contradicts the spirit of the July uprising. He also raised concerns over proposed changes to the appointment process for the Anti-Corruption Commission chairman, police commissioner and inspector general of police, alleging that they prioritise government preference over professionalism.
Following this, the law minister formally placed the 133 ordinances before Parliament. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni then proposed the formation of a 13-member special committee led by Barishal-3 MP Zainul Abedin, which was approved by voice vote.
Under parliamentary rules, ordinances placed in the first session of a new parliament lose legal validity if not passed within a stipulated time. The review process through the special committee has therefore been initiated to ensure proper scrutiny before submission of a final report to Parliament.
