Staff Correspondent
The government has plans to set up civil and criminal courts at upazila headquarters again, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shafique Ahmed said in parliament yesterday.
In reply to a call attention notice from former president and Jatiya Party Chief HM Ershad, the law minister said, “There are some difficulties in reintroducing the courts at upazila level right now.”
He also mentioned about the shortage of judges and skilled lawyers and said the government will take necessary steps on time.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the House that local government institutions will look after primary and secondary-level education as part of decentralisation of power.
However, in a scripted answer to a lawmaker’s query during the question-answer session earlier the law minister said the government has no plan right now to re-introduce criminal courts at upazila level.
In defence of reintroducing courts at upazila levels, HM Ershad, who introduced the judicial system during his tenure, said the people living in villages suffer immensely to run their cases in district courts.
“I appeal to the law minister to reintroduce courts at upazila level,” the Jatiya Party Chief said.
Earlier, during the question-answer session the law minister in his scripted answer to a lawmaker’s query said the government does not have any plan to increase four times the lawmakers’ discretionary fund or appoint personal secretary, assistant personal secretary and employees for lawmakers.
Meantime, during the question-answer session in parliament, the prime minister said the government will only allocate funds for local bodies and monitor their activities after they are given the responsibility of looking after primary and secondary level education.
This would reduce bureaucratic complexities, the PM said.
“We will keep on working to this effect in future, Inshallah.”
The government is working on strengthening the local government system, she said.
Replying to lawmakers’ queries, Hasina, also leader of the House, mentioned different measures initiated by her government for admission of all children to schools by 2011.
The government plans to ensure free education for all, she said.
Setting up of 1,935 primary schools in the same number of villages with a population of over 2,000 each is in process with the locals’ support.
The premier also said her government would expand stipend programme to cover male students at secondary level in all upazilas. The programme is now being implemented in 174 upazila.
Hasina said another 5,000 teachers would be recruited under the second primary education development programme in the current fiscal year. Besides, appointment of 15,000 assistant teachers under this programme is at final stage.
Responding to queries on power sector, the PM said the government has already taken various measures to increase power generation by 2,135 MW by the year 2014.
And steps will be taken to start atomic power plant at Ruppoor.
She blasted the previous BNP-led alliance government for its failure to increase power generation even by a single MW during its five-year tenure despite spending over TK 20, 000 crore in the sector.
On public administration, the premier said her government has already formed a committee to review the cases of government officials who were deprived of justice during the alliance government’s tenure.
Courtesy of www.thedailystar.net
