Law Minister in press conference: Decision to be taken after further review of 16 ordinances

Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman said that a decision will be taken after further review of 16 ordinances, including the Human Rights Commission Ordinance and the appointment of Supreme Court judges. He commented that there is no ambiguity or lack of transparency regarding these ordinances. He said these things at a press conference organized at the Home Ministry meeting room at the Secretariat today (April 12) regarding the 133 ordinances raised in the National Parliament.
The Law Minister said that 110 ordinances had to be brought to the Parliament in the form of bills, which were presented through 91 bills and passed in the Parliament. He said that there is no ambiguity in these laws made by the government; rather, the ordinances that need further review have been clearly mentioned. Asaduzzaman said that 97 ordinances have been passed as before. 13 ordinances have been passed with amendments and 7 have been presented as repealed bills. The remaining 16 ordinances have not been presented in the Parliament.
The Law Minister said that in the case of ordinances that have been brought as repealed bills, the reasons have also been clearly mentioned in the proposal of the relevant law. As examples, he mentioned the ordinances related to the National Human Rights Commission, the appointment of Supreme Court judges and the Supreme Court Secretariat. The need for further discussion and review with the relevant stakeholders has been mentioned in the bill itself.
Md. Asaduzzaman said that the government has not left any ambiguity anywhere. Introducing a bill through parliament means that it becomes a law. Even a repealed bill becomes part of the law, where there is a promise of further review.
Regarding the law on enforced disappearances, the Law Minister said that there are some ambiguities in the law regarding the definition and trial process of enforced disappearance, which can create legal complications in the future. Therefore, the matter needs to be reviewed in more detail. Similarly, there are questions about some sections of the Human Rights Commission Act, especially the lack of clear guidelines on investigation, fines and compensation, he said.
The Law Minister also said that the government has taken the initiative to start discussions with stakeholders on these issues. A consultative meeting on the Human Rights Commission Act is likely to be held after mid-May. Of the 122 ordinances issued during the caretaker government’s tenure from 2007 to 2009, only 54 were converted into laws, the rest were repealed.
The current government has converted a relatively large number of ordinances into laws, the Law Minister cited this as an example at the press conference. “We have clear plans and goodwill for those ordinances that have not yet become laws,” he said. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni were present at the press conference.