16th charter amendment bill to be tabled Sunday

The bill for a constitutional amendment to restore Parliament’s authority to impeach Supreme Court judges will be tabled on Sunday. A post of the National Parliament website says it is included as an agenda for the session today. Law minister Anisul Haque will table the bill, which will be then forwarded to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs ministry for vetting. On September 2, the Speaker hinted that the bill would be passed in the current session. ‘If tabled, the bill will be passed,’ Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said while speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee. The Cabinet gave the green light to the amendment on Aug 18. The Law Minister then said that there was a possibility to pass it during the current Parliament session. The BNP is opposing the move and says the government wants to consolidate its ‘1-party rule’ through the amendment. Meanwhile, the Jatiya Party, which has joined the government but sits in the Opposition, has decided to oppose the bill, according to bdnews24.com.