Role of women MPs in reserved seats needs a critical rethink

Parliament must be a place where leaders passionately engage in policymaking

Politics of confrontation must end

The Parliament Secretariat will return Tk 80 crore to the government, as Covid-19 pandemic forced fewer working days in holding parliament session, and fewer foreign tours and training programmes.

The ‘Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022’ was placed in the parliament today to protect, uphold and ensure equal rights and dignity of every Bangladeshi citizen.

The 12th session of the current parliament may only have three sittings (working day) considering the deteriorating scenario of Covid-19 pandemic throughout the country and globally, sources at the Parliament Secretariat said today.

Coming down heavily on institutional corruption within the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, a parliamentary body today asked its top officials to take stern action against it.

Two BNP lawmakers came down heavily on the government today in parliament, for what the MPs termed "ongoing extrajudicial killings", and demanded that the Home Minister give a statement in the House on whether the country’s citizens would get equal scope to take shelter under the law.

The Bangladesh Travel Agency (Registration and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was placed in Parliament keeping a provision of maximum six months’ imprisonment or Tk 5 lakh fine or both in the case of violation of any provision under the proposed law.

Parliament went into its ninth session this morning after a 59-day recess as the last (budget) session was prorogued on July 9.

A parliamentary body today recommended that the government set up a specialised institute similar to Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute to carry out dope tests for those who want to join public services, police department and take admission in universities.

Former whip Md Ashraf Hossain has passed away at a private hospital in the capital at the age of 79.

Criticising BNP MP Harunur Rashid for claiming to be the “main opposition”, Opposition Chief Whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga today demanded that the speaker of parliament give a ruling clarifying who the opposition is.

Sittings of the ongoing budget session of 11th parliament will be cut short further as around 100 staff and employees of the parliament secretariat and 12 MPs and ministers have so far been infected with Covid-19.

This year’s budget session will take place with the presence of only those lawmakers who are essential for the day-to-day activities of the parliament in a bid to maintain social distancing and curb the risk of coronavirus infection.

The duration of the upcoming seventh session of parliament is likely to be very brief to avoid a gathering, amid the nationwide shutdown to contain the spread of Covid-19, sources at the parliament secretariat say.

The 11th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) will go into its seventh session on April 18.

Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed tells parliament that the government plans to gradually bring all senior citizens in the country under the old-age allowance programme by 2025.

The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Bill, 2020 was passed in the parliament today -- aimed at offloading 49 percent shares of the corporation in the capital market.

A bill over depositing surplus money of state agencies to the national exchequer is passed amid unprecedented opposition from the Jatiya Party lawmakers today in Parliament, while the BNP MPs stage a walkout.