Parliament on Monday passed the Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2014 with the provision for special allowances to the Supreme Court judges.
With the passage of the bill, the chief justice, judges of the appellate and high court divisions of the Supreme Court will get 50 per cent of their basic salaries as special allowance every month.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anisul Huq moved the bill in the House which was later passed unanimously in voice votes.The bill was placed in parliament on March 18, for further amendments to the ‘Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance, 1978.
Placing the bill, the law minister said it was necessary to bring amendments to the existing ordinance following government’s decision to provide “special allowances” to the chief justice and judges of the appellate and high court divisions at the rate of 50 per cent of their basic month salary.
The honorarium and other facilities of the chief justice and judges of the appellate and high court divisions are fixed by the Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance, 1978, he said.
Meanwhile, a bill titled Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2014, was placed in Parliament to change the name of the relevant ministry.
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Junaid Ahmed Palak placed the bill in Parliament on behalf of Minister for Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology Abdul Latif Siddiqui.
The Speaker sent the bill the bill to the respective parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny and asked the committee to submit its report within four weeks.
The original bill was passed in 2010 under the Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technology to establish hi-tech park, and develop and flourish this industry in the country.
The government later created a new ministry Information and Communication Technology and put the Hi-Tech Park Authority under the Information and Communication Technology Ministry. Hence, there is a need to change the name of the ministry in the bill. – Staff Reporter
