16th Amendment to Constitution in ‘current session’

There is a strong signal that the bill on constitutional amendment to restore Parliament’s authority to impeach Supreme Court judges will be passed in the current session.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury told reporters on Monday after a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee: “If tabled, the bill will be passed (in the current session).”

The third session of the 10th Parliament began on Monday and will continue until Aug 18.

Earlier on Aug 18, Law Minister Anisul Huq said, after the amendment proposal was passed in the Cabinet, that the bill would be tabled in the third session.

The BNP is opposing the move because it believes the government wants to consolidate the ‘one-party rule’ through the change.

Meanwhile, the Jatiya Party, which has joined the government but sits in the Opposition, has decided to oppose the bill.

The first Constitution of Bangladesh formulated in 1972 gave Parliament the jurisdiction to determine the tenures of the top judges and decide about their removal.

The president was then vested with the power through the fourth constitutional amendment in 1974.

Later, a Supreme Judicial Council was constituted on a military order by Ziaur Rahman after the fourth amendment was scrapped.

Ruling Awami League MPs demanded the power to impeach Supreme Court judges be returned to Parliament after a High Court judge issued a ruling in 2012 involving then the Speaker Abdul Hamid.