The parliamentary standing committees on different ministries are going to be formed this week to enhance legislative activities.
“We are at final stage to form the standing committees this week. The committees are likely to be formed Monday or Tuesday,” said chief whip ASM Firoze.
Talking to The Independent he said the formation of committees was delayed for the election of female lawmakers in the reserved seats. The chief whip further said chairmen and members of most of the committees have already been selected and some more are being included from those have been elected from women reserved seats.
He said chairmen of the committees would be chosen from areas where there were no ministers or standing committee chairman before. Besides, he said the ability and efficiency of lawmakers will be taken into account to nominate them as chairmen of the JS bodies.
Firoze said Opposition lawmakers would be given posts of chairman as was done in the Ninth Parliament considering their efficiency.
He however said that it has not been decided as to how many posts they would be given.
According to parliamentary procedures, the chief whip will propose the committees before the House for consideration.
Parliament Secretariat sources said the parliamentary standing committees of Ninth Parliament were formed at its first session.
The formation of the committees of the current Parliament was delayed for accommodating the women lawmakers in the reserved seats.
The draft of almost all the 45 standing committees has already been completed, according to sources.
Earlier on February 5, five standing committees, including the Business Advisory Committee, were formed. The other committees are the standing committee on Rules of Procedure, Petition Committee, House Committee and the standing committee on the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The first meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, held on February 27, discussed formation of other standing committees.
It is learnt that lawmakers of both the ruling Awami League and opposition Jatiya Party are lobbying for getting chairmen posts of the standing committees.
Besides, the opposition parties are also talking to ruling party leaders as to how many chairman posts would be given to their respective lawmakers.
The Rawshan Ershad-led Opposition Jatiya Party that shares the cabinet has demanded six chairman posts in the standing committees. Independent lawmakers have demanded three posts, while the Workers’ Party and the Jatiya Samajatantrik Dal one each.
“In proportion to their representation in Parliament, the Awami League will get 39 seats, Jatiya Party six, independents three and the Workers’ Party and the JSD one each.
Meanwhile, the legislative business in the 10th Parliament is being delayed as most of the parliamentary standing committees on different ministries are yet to be formed.
Parliament Secretariat sources said a total of five bills submitted to the legislative section of Parliament secretariat could not be placed before the House for this reason. Of them, two are private bills.
Only a bill to provide special allowance to Supreme Court judges has so far been placed before the House by the minister for law justice and parliamentary affairs early this month.
According to the Rules of Procedures, the bills are to be sent to respective parliamentary committees for further scrutiny and examination after they are placed before the House for consideration. – Staff Reporter
