The Public-Private Partnership (Amendment) Act 2023 was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on Wednesday.
Liberation War Affairs Minister A K M Mozammel Huq, who is in charge of carrying out parliamentary affairs on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office, placed the bill for passage. It was passed through voice votes, accommodating four amendments - moved by opposition lawmakers.
The proposed bill dropped the word “independent” from the existing bill, in which it was stated that the PPP Authority will be impartial and independent in exercising financial and administrative powers and performance of functions.
According to the amendment, the government, and not a board of governors - as is stated in the current bill, will be the appointing authority of the PPP Authority.
While placing the bill, the liberation war affairs minister said the amendment is placed to ensure more accountability of the PPP Authority. No authorities are more powerful than the government in the parliamentary system.
The minister opined that allegations regarding curtailing power of the PPP Authority through this amendment are not true.
Earlier, JP lawmaker Rawshan Ara Mannan said its board of governors’ power is curtailed in the amendment which would discourage the foreign investors
Another JP lawmaker, Feroz Rashid said some business groups - blessed by the government - are being benefited of the PPP projects.
As there is no strong opposition in the JS, dozens of bills are passed here by the treasury, he added.
Lawmaker Pir Fazlur Rahman said the government’s control enhanced through this bill, and the PPP Authority’s power decreased.
Bureaucratic red-tapism is the main impediment in implementing the PPP projects, but still this bill has enhanced the power of bureaucracy, he added.
The Bangladesh Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act 2015 was framed to create a partnership with private sector by attracting local and foreign investment for building infrastructure, improving living standard of people, and expediting the country’s socio-economic progress.
The law also proposed to allow the PPP Authority vice-chairperson to chair any meeting in absence of the chairperson. It also proposed that there should be at least two meetings per year.
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