JS to pass bill in current session

Parliament in the current session will pass the bill on amending the constitution to restore its authority to impeach Supreme Court judges on grounds of misconduct or incapacity.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday.

Suranjit Sengupta, chief of the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry, confirmed it to The Daily Star.

Earlier on August 18, the cabinet approved the proposal for restoration of parliament's authority to impeach Supreme Court judges.

According to the draft law, parliament could impeach an SC judge on grounds of misconduct or incapacity by passing a resolution with at least a two-thirds majority. The president will then issue an order to this effect.

At the Business Advisory Committee meeting, it was also decided that the third session of the 10th parliament, which began yesterday, would continue till September 18.

The meeting, chaired by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, was attended among others by Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Raushan Ershad.

The JS on its first day in the third session yesterday adopted obituary references on the death of 17 noted personalities, including former lawmakers and journalists.

After the question-answer session, Raushan Ershad took the floor and urged the government to form separate commissions to discuss the two bills on the national broadcast policy and the constitutional amendment that would give back parliament the power to impeach Supreme Court judges.

"Only discussions can resolve everything and thus the government should form committees in consultation with all stakeholders and the common people to avert controversy," she said.

The opposition leader expressed her concern over deteriorating law and order situation in the country mentioning recent killing of Islamic Front leader Sheikh Nurul Islam Faruqi and Moghbazar's triple murder.

"Home is the safest place for a person and if he is killed in his own house, then where will he go?" she raised the question and called upon the government to ensure rule of law by bringing the culprits to book.

Raushan also asked the government to distribute adequate relief materials among the flood-affected people.