Dhaka, Nov 29 (bdnews24.com)—Parliament has passed the bill to split the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) into two separate entities amidst protests by the opposition outside.
Only treasure bench MPs were there to endorse the Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Bill 2011, which also includes provision for holding polls within 90 days of the bifurcation, by voice vote on Tuesday.
The DCC has been split into Dhaka North City Corporation with 36 wards and Dhaka South City Corporation having 56 wards through the bill.
Leader of parliament prime minister Sheikh Hasina was not present nor was Jatiya Party chief H M Ershad in the House when the bill was passed. The lone independent MP Fazlul Azim was also absent.
Speaker Abdul Hamid put the bill to voice vote after LGRD minister Syed Ashraful Islam placed it. The endorsement came seven days after the bill was tabled.
The session was prorogued after this and another bill were passed.
The opposition BNP, which has threatened to wage a tough street protest if the government presses on with its move to split DCC, however, continued to abstain from the House.
Current DCC mayor and councillors will cease to hold offices after a gazette on the bill is published. A provision has been included to appoint a 'fit' person chosen by the government or any public servant as administrator. The administrator will, however, not be able to seek appointment twice.
Since the bill is applicable for all city corporations, the provision to appoint administrators is effective for all the city corporations with expired dates.
The bill said the administrators of new city corporations will not be able to hold offices more than 180 days while those of corporations with expired dates will not be able to hold offices more than 90 days of appointment.
On Nov 26, DCC mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a BNP leader, held a press briefing calling the government to re-consider its decision. The following day saw a clash between the employees of the DCC and the police leaving 25 people injured.
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