Minister ‘mistakenly’ included
Staff Correspondent
The House yesterday constituted five standing committees, beginning the process of formation of the crucial committees in the current session of parliament.
Three of the committees have been formed for businesses related to Jatiya Sangsad (JS) and two on ministries.
But the treasury bench ignored the JS rules of procedure in forming the Estimate Committee by including a minister as its member.
Planning Minister Air-Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandker was made member of the Estimate Committee though the rules of procedure strictly imposes restriction on ministers to be included as member of the committee.
According to the rules of procedure, even if a member of the committee is inducted in the council of ministers, his/her membership will automatically fall vacant.
Contacted by The Daily Star immediate after the committee’s formation, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid said the minister’s name was mistakenly included.
“It will need an amendment to drop the minister’s name from the committee,” Shahid added.
The four other committees formed yesterday are the Privileges Committee headed by Speaker Abdul Hamid, Public Undertakings Committee headed by Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Estimate Committee headed by HN Ashiqur Rahman, standing committee on the finance ministry headed by AHM Mostafa Kamal and standing committee on the law, justice and parliament affairs ministry headed by Suranjit Sengupta.
Two membership posts — one for BNP lawmaker and another for lawmakers to be elected to reserved seats for women — have been kept vacant in each of the four committees, excepting the Privileges Committee.
On behalf of Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid proposed before the House to form the committees. The House unanimously formed the committees.
Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia, Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, AL senior lawmakers Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, and Chief Whip Abdus Shahid were inducted as members of the Privileges Committee, which deals with the lawmakers’ privileges.
The five committees have been formed as per the treasury bench’s plan to complete formation of the standing committees in the inaugural session of the ninth parliament.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
