Parliament: Bangladesh parliament on Thursday passed ‘The District Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016’, aiming to create scope for the incumbent administrators to contest district council polls subject to their resignation from their posts.  

LGRD and Local Government Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote.

As per the amended law, district administrators will be able to participate in district council elections subject to their resignation from their posts.

Earlier, Md Rustam Ali Farazi (Pirojpur-3) proposed disapproving the ordinance saying it was promulgated bypassing Parliament though there was no urgency.  

In response, Law Minister Anisul Huq said election is one of the most important factors of democracy and the ordinance was issued to establish the factor. ‘So it’s neither undemocratic nor unnecessary. It was extremely necessary.’  

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has a development scheme and democracy plays a big role in that development scheme.  

The Law Minister explained that the ordinance was issued so that the election can be held quickly and smoothly following announcement of the election schedule.

He said the ordinance number was two so far only three ordinances were promulgated since January 25, 2014 when the current parliament started its journey. ‘I can’t understand how he (Farazi) claims it’s a tendency of showing executive power.’