The parliamentary special committee has so far reached agreement on only one of the 133 ordinances issued by the interim government, as it aims to dispose of the remaining measures by the first week of April.
The ordinance agreed upon grants immunity to July uprising veterans, committee members said.
Unless passed by 10 April, the ordinances will automatically lapse. To ensure timely approval, the special committee has been holding a series of review meetings.
Beyond the veterans’ immunity ordinance, it has not yet been finalised how many of the remaining ordinances will be passed and how many will be allowed to lapse.
On Wednesday afternoon, the committee convened its second meeting to review various aspects of the ordinances. The session, held in the cabinet room of the parliament building, was chaired by committee chairman Zainul Abedin.
After the meeting, Zainul Abedin told reporters that all 133 ordinances issued during the interim government will be introduced in parliament as bills. He said copies of the ordinances have already been circulated to all MPs, so the verification process is not expected to take long.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, a committee member, said there was broad consensus on most of the interim government’s ordinances. “We have prioritised the Constitution and the July Charter. We all agree on the ordinance granting immunity and allowances to the July uprising veterans. It will be passed as law in the parliamentary session,” he said.
Law Minister Asaduzzaman said the committee is working with both constitutional provisions and public expectations in mind. Discussions on most of the ordinances are ongoing, and the committee aims to complete the review within 30 days for introduction in the current session.
Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said a thorough review of all ordinances is underway, particularly on matters related to the Constitution and the protection, immunity, and allowances for July veterans.
Asked if a decision had been made to retain 120 of the ordinances, the Chief Whip said final decisions on how many will be passed or annulled have not yet been made. Further discussions are scheduled for 27 March.
In addition to committee members, each MP is reviewing the ordinances. The next parliamentary session is set to begin on 29 March, with a special committee meeting expected later that evening to finalise recommendations before the ordinances are tabled as bills.
The parliamentary special committee was formed on the first day of the 13th parliament. Law Minister Asaduzzaman had introduced the 133 interim government ordinances, and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni proposed forming the 13-member committee led by Zainul Abedin, which was approved by voice vote.
Under parliamentary rules, ordinances introduced in the first session of the new parliament automatically lose legal validity if not passed within a set timeframe. This prompted the special committee to review those and submit recommendations to parliament.
The 13th parliament began its first session on 12 March. The upcoming session will resume on 29 March and continue until 30 April.
