Narcotics control, madrasa edu bills placed at House
"Narcotics Control (Amendment) Bill, 2020" was placed at Jatiya Sangsad yesterday, dropping the provision of setting up separate narcotic control tribunals to pave the way for competent courts to try narcotic-related crimes.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal placed the bill which was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny.
The committee was asked to submit its report before the House within seven working days.
The bill was brought to have a provision of holding trial in the courts having the jurisdiction for quick disposal of narcotics cases and easing the backlog of huge drug-related cases.
It was supposed to form necessary number of Narcotics Control Tribunals in line with article 44 of the existing Narcotics Control Act 2018.
But the Law and Justice Division cannot set up any Narcotics Control Tribunal yet or cannot entrust the tribunal's responsibility with any additional district judge or sessions judge for administrative reasons.
So, complexities have been created in disposal of cases filed under the Act since it has become effective, and the number of pending cases keeps growing day by day.
As per article 44 of the bill, the courts, having jurisdiction, can try the narcotic-related cases as per the gravity of crimes as well as a sessions judge concerned or a metropolitan sessions judge concerned can fix one or more than one courts that have the jurisdiction to try narcotic-related crimes in their respective areas.
In the bill, changes have been brought in 22 articles of the exiting law.
Meanwhile, another bill titled "Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board Bill, 2020″ was placed at the House yesterday to replace a 1978 ordinance in this regard.
The bill placed by Education Minister Dipu Moni was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee that was asked to report back within seven working days.
According to the Article 28 of the proposed law, there'll be (legal) protection of the activities the madrasa education.
The activities would be considered as done under this (proposed) law and no activity (of the previous time) can be challenged as illegal.
The important changes brought in the bill that the employees of the board were declared as public servants and their retirement age was fixed at 60 years like all other education boards.
In December, the cabinet approved the bill in principle bringing some amendments to the existing Madrasa Education Ordinance, 1978 as the Supreme Court declared all the laws made during military regimes illegal.
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