JS
Bill incorporating max 10 years’ jail for leaking PSC exam questions passed in parliament
Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) Bill 2023 was passed in the parliament today incorporating punishment for involvement in any irregularity in PSC exams.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain moved the bill in the House and it was passed by voice vote.
The maximum punishment for involvement in leaking questions of any PSC exam will be 10 years’ jail or financial penalty or both, according to the draft law.
The bill will replace the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Ordinance, 1977 in line with a judgment of the High Court over the laws of military regimes.
The maximum punishment for adopting unfair means in examination and engagement in answer sheet forgery would be two years’ jail or financial penalty or both.
Also Read: Chunnu wants finance minister's view on reported corruption of MPs, WASA MD
The penalty is the same for helping any examinee taking unfair mens in the exam hall, fake examinees and tampering with answer sheet.
The penalty is one year of jail or financial penalty or both for creating obstacles in taking examinations and creating anarchy.
As per the bill, apart from question paper leaks, other crimes will also be punished by mobile courts.
There will be a public service commission to be called the Bangladesh Public Service Commission.
The number of members of the Commission, including the Chairman, shall be not less than six nor more than 20.
There will be a secretariat of the Commission where a secretary of the government will be appointed as the Commission Secretary.
No unauthorised clinics in Dhaka city, health minister tells JS
Bangladesh's Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday (January 08, 2023) said there are no unauthorised clinics operating in the capital.
The minister made the comment while responding to a tabled question of AL MP Habib Hasan.
He said that if an unauthorised private clinic is found, necessary measures are taken as per the rules, including suspending the operation of the clinic by operating a mobile court with the help of law enforcement agencies.
Also Read: Review of mass media employees bill gets another 60-day extension
In response to the question from ruling Awami Leaague MP M. Abdul Latif, the health minister said that the process of starting the geriatric department for the treatment of the elderly in the medical college hospitals of the divisional cities across the country has started.
Activities will start soon to provide modern medical care to patients aged 65 years and above at this department, he said.
In response to AL MP Habib Hasan's question, the health minister said that the number of approved private hospitals and clinics in Dhaka city is 484.
Read More: Policies must to stop misuse, overuse of antibiotics: Health Minister
In reply to another question from AL MP Anwarul Abedin Khan, Zahid Maleque said that the government has a plan to increase the number of beds in all upazila health complexes in the country.
He said that upgradation of upazila hospital from 31 to 50 beds is ongoing. Already five upazila health complexes have been upgraded to 100 beds.
The government plans to upgrade all the 50-bed upazila hospitals to 100 beds as per requirement in phases, he said.
Read More: “Won’t allow anyone to do business in the name of healthcare.”
In response to the question of Didarul Alam, the minister said that the government has taken up the project of establishing one full-fledged cancer hospital at each divisional city where it will be possible to ensure the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients of all ages including children.
Haat and Bazar (establish and management) Bill placed in JS
The Haat and Bazar (establish and management) Bill, 2022 was placed in Parliament on Sunday to replace the related Ordinance of 1959 to make it time befitting.
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury placed the bill and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination. The Committee was asked to submit its report within 15 days.As per the Bill, there are 26 articles in the proposed law. As per the law, no one can set up any haat and bazar without permission from the government.
If any unauthorised haat or bazar is set up in any area the government will take over that as Khas land.
The district administration and the government will manage the lands of haat or bazar and no land can be transferred permanently.
Also read: 21st Parliament session to continue till Feb 9
As per the proposed law, if anyone or a group of people illegally occupy Khas land of any haat and bazar and construct any establishment will be fined not more than Tk 5 lakh or get one year of imprisonment or both.
Audit reports presented for scrutiny in JS
A total of 690 audit objections amounting to a total potentially worth Tk 1. 06 lakh crore was placed in parliament on Tuesday.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed 53 audit and accounting reports of different ministries and government departments' 2019-20 accounts, in accordance with Article 132 of the Constitution.
“The reports of the Auditor General relating to the public accounts of the Republic shall be submitted to the President, who shall cause them to be laid before Parliament,” states the Constitution.
Read more: Atomic Energy Commission (amendment) Bill passed in JS
The report tabled in the Parliament showed that in the financial year 2019-20, there were 30 objections to the compliance audit on plot-flat allotment-expenditure, other matters related to under-implementation and some development projects under the National Housing Authority.
Another audit report was on Telecom Regulatory Commission's Compliance Audit Report for fiscal 2019-20. The amount of money involved in some 12 disputes in this regard is around Tk 14,392 crores.
Bill withdrawn from JS in light of HC verdict on arrest of public servants
The Public Service (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was withdrawn from Parliament on Monday.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain moved the withdrawal motion. It was later passed by voice vote.
The state minister, however, did not say anything regarding his move to withdraw it.
Read more: Bill to replace law of military regimes placed in JS
The Bill was placed in the House on August 29 inducting a clause to shield public servants from unnecessary harassment. The treasury benches contend such a provision exists in the law in many countries across the globe, including India.
But today's withdrawal may have been affected by a High Court ruling that police would not require prior permission to arrest government officials in criminal cases.
The state minister said that the government will appeal the August 25 decision of the High Court, that struck down a provision in the 2018 Public Service Act preventing police from arresting a government official without permission from higher authorities, even in criminal cases.
The HC ruling came from the bench of justices Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo. The bench described the 2018 provision as "unconstitutional".
Read more: Govt to appeal HC ruling on scrapping prior permission to arrest officials in criminal case
"A section has been given special facilities by enacting the provision of getting prior permission to arrest government employees, which is sheer discrimination and violence of articles 26, 27 and 31 of the Constitution," the bench said.
On November 14, 2018, a gazette was issued on Public Service Act, 2018. It was published on September 26, 2019, and came into effect on October 1, 2019.
According to Section 41(1) of the Act, prior permission is needed from the government or higher authorities to arrest a government officer for a criminal offence.
On October 14, 2019, a writ petition was filed challenging the legality of Section 41 (1) of the Act.
Advocates Sarwar Ahad Chowdhury, Eklas Uddin Bhuiya and Mahbubul Islam filed the writ petition on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, an NGO.
On October 21, 2019, the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why Section 41 (1) of the Public Service Act should not be declared "illegal and contradictory to articles 26(1) and (2), 27 and 31 of the Constitution."
Bill to provide free education to minor child of dead primary school teachers placed in JS
The Government Primary School Teacher Welfare Trust Bill, 2022 was placed in Parliament aiming to bear the expense of education of minor children of teacher if he/she dies during service.
Primary and Mass Education State Minister M Zakir Hossain placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination.
The Committee was asked to submit its report within two months.
Read more: Former primary school headmaster killed in Bogura road crash
As per the Bill, if a teacher dies during service, the expense of education of his or her minor children will be given till they become adults.
In addition, the expense will be given for the necessity of a child with disability or special needs.
Besides, teachers will receive some financial benefits, including medical expenses.
The teachers have to deposit a certain amount to the trust fund and it will be determined by the rules.
Read more: Draft of Public Service Commission Bill goes to JS standing committee
JS committee on Home Ministry gets new chair
Awami League MP Benzir Ahmed from Dhaka-20 (Dhamrai) has been appointed as the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Home Affairs Ministry.
Chief Whip of parliament Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury placed the proposal for reconstitution of the parliamentary watchdog, proposing Benzir Ahmed’s name as chief of the House body on Tuesday.
Parliament later unanimously approved it.
Awami League MP Shamsul Haque Tuku was chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Home Ministry.
But he was elected the deputy speaker of parliament on Monday, following the demise of Fazle Rabbi Miah in July.
Read: PM participates in extended discussion in JS on global roots of local suffering
Benazir Ahmed was first elected MP in the ninth parliament. Later in the eleventh Parliament he was again elected as lawmaker.
Today, the parliament nominated Deputy Speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku as a member of the Business Advisory Committee, chairman of the Library Committee, member of the Petition Committee, member of the parliamentary committee on Rules of Procedure, and a member of the Privilege Committee of parliament.
Mass Media bill goes back to JS committee for second time
Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Information and Broadcast Ministry on Tuesday got another 60 days to examine and amend the much-debated Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill 2022.
Chairman of the Committee Hasanul Huq Inu sought the time extension in Parliament and the House unanimously approved the proposal.
Earlier on June 6, the same parliamentary committee was given 60 days to examine the Bill and report back to the House.
On March 28 of this year, Information and Broadcast Minister Hasan Mahmud placed the Bill and it was sent to the parliamentary standing committee for scrutiny of the proposed law.
According to a source, the Standing Committee did not sit for a meeting till now.
Earlier on June 16, Inu told media that the parliamentary body will sit with different stakeholders before finalizing the “Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill.”
Various journalists organisations and owners association, Transparency International Bangladesh have seriously opposed various sections of the proposed law.
The Editors' Council (Sampadak Parishad) has said the space for independent media will shrink further if the proposed bill is passed by parliament.
The wages and benefits of journalists, employees and press workers, artists of broadcast, online, and print media outlets would be fixed under the proposed law.
As per the bill, journalists will be regarded as media professionals, not as workers.
Read: PM participates in extended discussion in JS on global roots of local suffering
The wage board will be applicable for journalists and employees of all the media outlets, including print and electronic, as per the Bill.
According to the Bill, the minimum working hours for media employees will be 48 hours in a week, while the casual leave will be 15 days instead of 10 days and the earned leave will be 100 days instead of 60 days annually.
If anybody works beyond the stipulated time, he or she will be entitled to overtime pay.
Besides, the festival leave will be 10 days in a year, recreation leave will be 15 days after every three years, and the maternity leave will be six months in place of the existing eight weeks.
If anyone or organisation violates the provisions of the Bill, s/he will be fined Tk 50,000-Tk 5 lakh.
The government will be able to cancel the licences or registration of the media. The owners of media outlets will also face punishment for violation of the law.
If anyone or any organisation violates the provisions of the Bill, he/she will face monetary fine or imprisonment, the Cabinet secretary said.
Once the new law is passed in parliament, jobs of media employees will no longer be regulated under the labour law.
Currently, journalists and employees of media houses are regarded as “workers” under the labour law.
Once the law is passed, they will be regarded as media personnel, not workers.
According to the proposed law, a wage board will be formed for the media personnel.
The wage board will fix salaries and allowances of media personnel in line with the salary scale of the government employees and it will be applicable to the owners of all media outlets.
PM participates in extended discussion in JS on global roots of local suffering
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday categorically said that the government is doing everything necessary to lessen the sufferings of the people in the current economic situation.
“The government will do whatever is needed to lessen the sufferings of the people. The Awami League government is doing that,” she said.
The PM said this while participating in a general discussion on a proposal brought by opposition Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu.
Chunnu placed the proposal titled--"Parliament is of the opinion that short and long term sustainable measures taken by the government to deal with the problems of Covid-19, global unrest, Ukraine-Russia war, climate change, natural disasters, energy crisis, rising commodity prices should be informed to the nation through discussion in parliament.”
The Prime Minister briefly described numerous initiatives of the government to tackle the situation due to the years lost dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, followed by the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that the government is taking every step to make sure the country does not end up facing food scarcity.
She also reiterated her call to utilise every inch of land possible to produce food items.
In this regard she said that due to the high prices of import items, import expenditure was inflated by an additional USD 9 billion in the last fiscal (2021-22).
“The steps we have taken are to face the economic crisis across the globe, we are analysing the situation extensively and regularly,” she said.
In this connection, she mentioned that the government is not relying on the analysis of the researchers. "Rather we are analysing by ourselves and considering the situation of the people, we take steps as per that direction."
Sheikh Hasina said that export incentives will be widened for the export oriented items to increase and diversify exports.
She regretted that a section of people is always there who wish to make extra profits by exploiting even bad times for the general public.
She mentioned that due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the cycle of sanctions and counter-sanctions the whole world has fallen into trouble.
In this regard she mentioned that developed countries have already started austerity measures to reduce their consumption of energy and other related items.
“Welfare of the people is what matters most to us, if people are in pain it gives me pain also,” she said.
She sought cooperation from all and urged all to refrain from confusing people through misinformation.
Earlier, Opposition Jatiya Party and BNP MPs in parliament blasted the government for its utter failure to arrest price hike of essentials, increasing the price of fuel, widespread corruption, and laundering of thousands of crores of taka.
Participating in the discussion, the opposition MPs blamed the government's wrong policies, mismanagement, corruption and inefficiency in every sector behind what they painted as 'the sorry state of the country'.
They said there is no accountability anywhere in the government.
Treasury bench lawmakers, however, said the current situation of the country, including the price hike of essentials, was the consequence by the global crisis.
Read: PM rules out Sri Lanka-like crisis in Bangladesh
MPs belong to the Awami League-led 14-party alliance including Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal remained cautious while criticizing the government.
While placing the proposal, Mujibul Huq Chunnu said the prices of diesel, octane and petrol have been increased by 41 to 51 percent at one go. Such increase of fuel price was not seen since independence. Due to this, the prices of all goods have increased. The prices of all products that have nothing to do with oil and Ukraine-Russia war, have been increased due to widespread corruption and syndicate of dishonest businessmen. The government has failed to control them.
Chunnu at the time said, people are really in a very bad condition due to the increase of commodity prices. Middle class, lower middle class and poor people get singed by fire when they go to the market.
Chunnu blasted the government for implementing a wrong policy in power production.
“The government is paying thousands of crores of taka to different captive power plants keeping them idle. Without constructing the transmission lines, the government is producing power wasting huge amounts of public money,” he added.
JP MP Kazi Firoz Rashid said widespread corruption, looting and money laundering of thousands of crores of taka, syndicates of corrupt businessmen are responsible for the present sorry state of the country.
Pointing to the treasury bench MPs, Firoz Rashid said, “When we say that massive corruption, looting money, money laundering and business syndicate, you cannot tolerate those words and react sharply as many of the ruling party men are involved in it.”
Coming down heavily on the government, the JP MP said, demanded to form a parliamentary commission headed by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to investigate into the reasons behind the present bad situation of the country.
Another JP party MP Shameem Haider Patwari said the government has made many mistakes. Now is the time to admit mistakes. So that this mistake is not repeated in the future.
He said the government will have to pay a huge amount of money as capacity charge in the Rooppur Power plant.
Also the Rampal project has no transmission line but capacity charge has to be paid.
He also said Tk 500 crore was spent on feasibility study of bullet train and subway, Tk 600 crore loan was taken for VAT automation project but it was not implemented. We have launched satellites. But how much money will come from there?
BNP MP Rumeen Farhana said, “The government was saying that the country is moving on the highway of development and going to become a developed nation like Singapore. But suddenly we saw that the country is going to become like Sri Lanka.”
“When a party is in power without the support of the people, they have to create some oligarchs. Policies have to be formulated in their interest. The same has happened in Bangladesh. Banks have been emptied in favor of some oligarchs.
It is becoming clear in the electricity sector that electricity has been purchased from some companies in the past few years by spending huge amounts of money through indemnity. More than 90 thousand crore taka have been handed over to them for capacity charges.”
Rumeen said, government development means some projects at unimaginable cost. The Hindustan Times reports that the Rooppur power plant in Bangladesh costs five times the cost of a similar power plant of the same capacity in Tamil Nadu, India. In all the projects in the country, the same amount has been looted.
JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu apologized on behalf of himself and the government to the countrymen due to people’s suffering due to price hike of essentials.
Strongly criticizing the recent controversial remarks by a number of ministers, Inu said the PM is expressing sympathy for the people’s sufferings. On the other hand, some ministers are mocking people instead of sympathizing with them. He called it 'shocking and unfortunate'.
He blasted the government for the syndicates' power over markets, chaos in the transport sector, mismanagement in the dollar market and lack of coordination in the administration.
Awami League MP Tofail Ahmed said that the reality does not match the words of BNP MPs. Inflation is now at its highest level in 25 years in Europe. Inflation has been as high as 23 percent in some countries. In that situation, Bangladesh's position in South Asia is very strong.
Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said they will not deny that the prices of some essentials have increased and some unrest is prevailing in the market.
However, he said that although people are suffering, there is no famine in the country.
Another AL MP, Farooq Khan said that the price of commodities have increased due to increase of fuel in the world market. Inflation is high in many countries.
Around 23 MPs participated in the almost 5-and-half hour long discussion.
Tajul briefs JS on Wasa, city corporations' projects to serve capital
LGRD Minister Tajul Islam on Tuesday said Dhaka WASA has taken plans and initiatives to bring the entire capital under 100 percent permanent sewerage network by 2030.
In response to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury, Tajul said that according to the plan, five sewerage treatment plants will be set up around the capital city.
Those treatment plants are: Pagla sewer and network treatment plant, Dasherkandi sewage treatment plant, Rayer Bazar sewage treatment plant, Uttara sewage treatment plant and Mirpur sewage treatment plant.
The LGRD minister also said that construction of Dasherkandi sewage treatment plant is already complete and a trial run is going on at present.
In reply to another query, the LGRD minister said that more than 6000 metric tons of waste is produced under the two city corporations of Dhaka every day.
Read: 19th JS session to continue till September 1
The minister also said that the government has taken up plans to produce biogas, bio-fertilizer, electricity, recycling plant through modern waste management.
In response to a question from AL MP Didarul Alam, the LGRD minister said that 54 wards under Dhaka North City Corporation produce about 3,400 tons of waste every day.
About 84 percent of the waste arrives at secondary transfer stations. Later it is regularly removed by environmentally friendly vehicles and managed in landfills.
The remaining 16 percent is broom waste, which is removed at night by open trucks.
The minister said Dhaka South City Corporation collects 2800-3000 tons of waste daily and manages the waste at Matuail Landfill. Waste collection rate is more than 90 percent.