‘Parliamentary panel to complete ordinance scrutiny by 29 March’

Law Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Wednesday that the special parliamentary review committee examining the fate of ordinances issued under the previous interim government has entered its final phase, with consensus already reached on more than 120 of the 133 ordinances.
He stressed, however, that no decision would be taken in a manner that bypasses either the Constitution or the July National Charter.
“We have worked on almost all the ordinances, and a few require more detailed discussion. We will take those up on the 29th. Hopefully, by then, the entire review will be complete and we will submit our report,” he told journalists after a committee meeting on Wednesday.
The minister said that, following extensive scrutiny, clear decisions had been reached on most ordinances. 
“We have completed the review of over 120 ordinances and agreed which should remain in the present context and which should be repealed. The final list is still being finalised,” he added.
He noted that unresolved issues would be revisited on 29 March, after which the review process would conclude and steps would be taken to convert the ordinances into permanent legislation.
Reaffirming the government’s position, Asaduzzaman Khan said the spirit of the July uprising and the July Charter would guide all decisions. “The July Charter is a highly respected document for us. Clause 6(a) on page 3 makes it clear that constitutional amendments are required to implement Articles 1 to 47 of its 84 articles. Anyone attempting to bypass it is acting against the Charter. We are proceeding by prioritising both the Constitution and the Charter,” he said.
He also confirmed that the work would be completed within the stipulated 30-day timeframe. “We are closely observing constitutional obligations. After submitting the report on 2 April, the bills will be placed in Parliament through the usual legislative process,” he said.
The minister declined to comment on whether sensitive ordinances – such as those concerning the Supreme Court Secretariat – were included in the final list. 
He added that several important matters, including the Human Rights Commission law, remained under discussion.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the review of all 133 ordinances issued during the interim government was nearing completion. 
He confirmed that consensus had been reached on four ordinances related to “July Protection”, which would be placed before Parliament without amendment.
He explained that the ordinances had been divided into three categories: those to be passed as bills in their current form; those to be introduced with amendments; and those lacking consensus, which would lapse during the current session but could be reintroduced later as new bills if necessary.
According to parliamentary rules, he noted, existing ordinances must be approved before new legislation is passed in order to avoid legal complications.
Salahuddin Ahmed said two factors were being given priority in the review process: adherence to the July National Charter and constitutional validity. Public expectations were also being taken into account.
Although most discussions had been concluded, further deliberation was needed on several key issues, including the Anti-Corruption Commission law and the Human Rights Commission law.
He added that the next session of the committee had been scheduled for 29 March at 8:30pm, expressing confidence that the remaining issues would be resolved then. The final number of approved ordinances would be announced afterwards.
The adjourned meeting of the committee’s first session was held in the Cabinet Room of the National Parliament under the chairmanship of Committee President and MP Zainul Abedin.