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Parliamentary committees and several important bills will receive top priority in the third session of Bangladesh’s 13th Parliament, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni has said.
The session is scheduled to begin on Thursday. Speaking to the media at the Parliament complex on Wednesday (August 26), the chief whip said the formation of parliamentary standing committees would be given the highest priority.
He said the committees would be finalised as soon as the opposition submits its proposed list of members.
The third session could initially run for five, seven or 10 days, although its duration may be extended if necessary, Moni said. Around six important bills are likely to be placed before Parliament during the session, including proposed legislation concerning property transfers, enforced disappearances and human rights protection.
On the July Charter and proposed constitutional reforms, Moni said voters had backed the government after considering its election manifesto and had placed their trust in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
He said new laws could be enacted and existing legislation amended whenever necessary in the national interest.
The chief whip also said there is a proposal to form a 17-member committee to oversee constitutional amendments. Under the proposed structure, seven members would come from the BNP and five from Jamaat-e-Islami, while smaller political parties would also be represented.
He said opposition parties would be included once they submit the names of their nominees.
“Constitutional amendment is a normal process in a democratic system,” Moni said.
As an example, he noted that India’s Constitution has been amended 106 times over the past 76 years.