JS completes ratification of 113 ordinances

The Jatiya Sangsad passed 24 bills on Friday, approving a large number of ordinances issued during the interim government, even as the opposition staged a walkout late in the day over alleged breaches of political consensus and lack of transparency.
In total, 87 bills were passed to validate 113 ordinances, including provisions granting immunity to participants in the July uprising and enabling the banning of political party activities. At the same time, seven ordinances - including those related to the National Human Rights Commission - were scrapped through four separate bills. Another 13 ordinances, including those on a referendum and a proposed police commission, were not approved by parliament, meaning 20 of the 133 ordinances issued under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus have now lapsed.
Tensions escalated during the evening session, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, when opposition lawmakers walked out in protest. The move was led by opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman, who accused the government of violating a prior political understanding regarding the passage of interim ordinances.
The dispute centred on the July Uprising Memorial Museum Bill, 2026, which was passed despite objections from opposition members. Opposition chief whip Nahid Islam alleged that a last-minute amendment to the bill broke consensus reached in a parliamentary special committee.
According to him, political parties had agreed that 98 ordinances from the interim period would be passed "as is" without changes. The museum bill was part of that list. However, just 30 minutes before it was tabled, an amendment was introduced altering the governance structure of the proposed museum.
"This is not a branch museum - it is a specialised national institution," Nahid Islam said during an unscheduled debate. "In institutions like Bangla Academy or the National Museum, experts are appointed to lead. Why should this be different?"
He further alleged that the move reflected a broader trend of partisan control over state institutions, citing examples from the central bank, local government bodies and even the cricket board. "Everything is being brought under political control. This tendency will ultimately weaken all institutions," he said.
Responding to the criticism, Culture Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury said the amendment had not been introduced by the government but by a private member of parliament. He argued that having a minister head of such a board was a common practice and did not amount to politicisation.
Law Minister Asaduzzaman Khan added that under democratic procedures any member could propose amendments. He said the revised provision would allow the government to remove board members involved in corruption or activities contrary to the spirit of the July uprising.
However, the opposition remained unconvinced. Shafiqur Rahman warned that introducing amendments at the last moment without discussion undermined trust. He also questioned why 16 "important" ordinances - including those related to the Anti-Corruption Commission, human rights commission and tobacco control - had not been brought to parliament before the deadline.
In response, the law minister said those ordinances were undergoing further scrutiny to make them more robust and would be presented in a future session after consultation with opposition parties.
The assurance failed to calm tensions. "If the current consensus is not respected, promises of future discussions are meaningless," Rahman said, announcing the walkout on behalf of the opposition.
Earlier, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed defended the importance of the museum, saying it would preserve the history of anti-authoritarian movements from 1971 to 2024. "This is not the property of any party - it belongs to the nation," he said.
Despite the speaker's request to remain in the chamber, opposition lawmakers left the House, marking a contentious end to a session that saw sweeping legislative approvals alongside deepening political divisions.
The Jatiya Sangsad passed 20 bills till afternoon including 10 bills in the morning sitting aimed at converting the ordinances promulgated during the interim government into laws.
Out of the 133 ordinances issued during the interim government, the parliamentary special committee recommended approval to 98 bills in their original form and 15 in amended form.
The special committee, formed to review the 133 ordinances issued during the interim government's tenure, placed its report in the House on April 02 last.
Out of the remaining 20 ordinances, the special committee recommended repealing four ordinances while bringing back 16 new bills through a strengthened form.
The special committee had recommended passing the 20 bills adopted in the morning sitting and afternoon sitting without any changes.
Among the bills passed, Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher placed the Narayanganj Development Authority Bill, 2026, Barishal Development Authority Bill, 2026, Mymensingh Development Authority Bill, 2026, Cumilla Development Authority Bill, 2026, and Rangpur Development Authority Bill, 2026, which were passed unanimously.
Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury placed the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was also passed unanimously.
Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo placed the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation Bill, 2026, and Wildlife Conservation and Protection Bill, 2026 which were passed unanimously.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury placed the Deposit Protection Bill, 2026, Excises and Salt Bill, 2026, and Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Grameen Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and Bangladesh Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which were passed unanimously.
Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon moved the Dhaka Central University Bill, 2026 and the University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam moved the National Data Management Bill, 2026 and the Cyber Security Bill, 2026.
Women and Children Affairs Minister A Z M Zahid Hossain moved the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan moved the Welfare and Rehabilitation of Families of Martyrs and July Fighters of the July Uprising Bill, 2026.
In addition, on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed moved the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority Bill, 2026, which was also passed unanimously by voice vote.

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