Parliamentary Committee system of Bangladesh

Parliamentary Committee system of Bangladesh

(A review of 8th and 9th parliament)

Islamic University Kushtia, Bangladesh.

Masters of Development Studies (MDS) (Session- January 2016 to December 2016)

Department:

Politics and Public Administration

Title of the Internship:

Parliamentary Committee System of Bangladesh (A review of 8th and 9th Parliament.)

Dissertation Submitted By:

Susanta Sarkar Subho Masters of Development Studies (Evening) Dept. of Politics and Public Administration Session: January 2016 to December 2016 (One Year) Registration No- EV-2142 Roll No- 071616

Submitted to:

Professor Dr. Raqiba Yasmin Chairman, Department of Political Science Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh

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Notice

It is hereby declared that, this is an internship titled “Parliamentary Committee System of Bangladesh; A review of 8th and 9th Parliament” which is developed by “Susanta Sarkar Subho”, Student of Masters of Development Studies (MDS), Session January 2016 to December 2016, under Politics and Public Administration Department of Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh that is supervised by the below signatory, is only for obtaining the MDS degree under the university. He bears registration number EV-2142, Roll No- MDS-071616 during academic calendar. The academic article which has Six Chapter, three Annexure and other contents that are collected from different books, research papers, journal and newspapers. The subject of the internship was delegated to him to show his advance study on the fundamental parliamentary business.

Professor Dr. Raqiba Yasmin Chairman, Department of Political Science Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In modern democracies, parliament has numerous duties. As a key state organ, it examines the legislative proposals in the process of their passage and is entrusted with overseeing executive responsibilities and keeps an eye on government activities. Parliamentary committee system is the most vital structure that permits the legislators to divide up their labor and specialize in particular areas of activities. It is therefore the most significant legislative mechanism and is often referred to as “Small legislatures” of their parent bodies. There is a tendency around the world to rely on committees for accomplishing much of the parliamentary activities. In this regard, Bangladesh is not an exception. Being a South Asian country, it has had familiarity with committee system since last century when the country was under British colonial rule. Bangladesh emerged as an independent state in 1971 following nearly two centuries of British rule and a further quarter century of Pakistan. The new state of Bangladesh adopted parliamentary system of government. All legislative power of the state was vested to the parliament. Though all favorable conditions for parliamentary democracy were ensured in the constitution, differences between the political parties and overwhelming domination of government party and their refusal to recognize the official opposition party in the parliament prevented building a responsible executive. In a sweeping change, parliamentary form of government was replaced by one party presidential system and soon the new system was abolished when the military seized the state by a bloody military coup in 1975. Between 1975 and 1990, the country was under military dominated civil‐military regimes. Parliaments formed during this period were intended to serve the purpose of the regime’s interests. With mass upsurge, military authoritarian regime was ended and parliamentary form of government was restored in 1991. Since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh, committee system is taken seriously in the political as well as in the academic arena because of its importance in the parliamentary process. In this internship paper, I try to discuss on two governments parliamentary committee management, 8th Parliament and 9th parliament of Jatiya Sangsad of Bangladesh. The 8th parliament was four party alliance government leaded by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and 9th is the fourteen-party alliance leaded by Bangladesh Awami League (AL). I applied historical combination, data analytical and descriptive approach. Description and analysis are presented to show institutional environment, strength, culture and practices in viewing democratic & supplementary of good governance and data compression is to show the expected outcome form parliamentary business from committee and the accountability approaches. My analysis and description are presented comprising Rule of Procedure of JS and the Bangladesh Constitution. In this paper, I try to present impotency of committee in parliamentary business and a comparative scenario with developed countries committee systems. Most of the data and information is from secondary and primary sources. To examine the effectiveness of parliamentary 3|Page

committee, I collected different research papers, presentations, books of researchers and different journals which are mostly collected from internet as this is most effective media of information, communication and distance learning. In my view, internet is a great store of knowledge. The data which are presented most of them are collected from TIB publications. Rather, it is very difficult to collect from parliamentary library and other publishing journal. The analysis presents in my work showed that the committees were more active in overseeing government activities rather than analyzing policy issues. In a conflicting political environment, committee activities are greatly influenced by the political parties. Lack of compromise between the parties to some extent makes the committees dysfunctional. Despite the existing limitations, committees provide a training ground for the legislators to improve their parliamentary norms and procedural knowledge.

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Declaration I do hereby declare that I have written this internship myself to obtain the degree of Masters of Development Studies (MDS) from Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh, and that it would not be submitted to any other university for a degree.

Susanta Sarkar Subho Kushtia, Bangladesh December 23, 2016.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The internship report, “Parliamentary Committee System of Bangladesh; A review of 8th and 9th Parliament” was a gift by my honorable supervisor Professor Dr. Raqiba Yasmin, Chairman, Department of Political Science, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh. I would like to express my heartiest gratitude to her as she gave me such kind of enjoyable work, a fundamental political discipline. Her kind guidance and constant support and follow-up enabled me to complete this ideal work. It must be mentioned that her scholarly supervision helped me to clarify my thoughts and ideas. It could not be possible if she did not guide me to collect data and information for the work. She supervised me refereeing the norms of thesis writing and smarter ways to gather information, the use of information and the style which should be follow to disseminate, incorporate and synthetize the information. I owed gratitude to all my teachers of Development Studies of Islamic University, Kushite. I am very glad that being a student of Development Studies, I worked on a basic political system, “constitutional business” which was spontaneous selection by my supervisor. I tried my best to incorporate correct information and data to elaborate the internship.

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CONTENTS List of Tables: 1. At a glance of Committees of ROP 2. 9th Parliamentary Committee 3. Women participation in 9th Parliament

List of Figures and Boxes: 1. % of occupation of committee members of 9th parliament 2. 9th parliaments decisions Vs Achievements

Abbreviation and Acronym: AL

: Awami League

BNP

: Bangladesh Nationalist Party

CS

: Civil Society

JS

: Jatiya Sangshad

MP

: Member of Parliament

NGO

: Non-Governmental Organization

PMBR

: Private Members Bill Review

ROP

: Rule of Procedure

TIB

: Transparency International Bangladesh

UNDP

: United Nations Development Program

UK

: United Kingdom

USA

: United States of America

WB

: World Bank

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Index Sl

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4.1 1.4.2 1.5 1.6 1.7

Chapter and Topic Chapter: 01 Introduction and Conceptual Framework Introduction Research Issues Significance of Parliamentary System: Conceptual Framework Political environment: Formal-legal framework: Literature Review: Methodology of the work Overview of the internship

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10 11 12 12 12 15 16 16 17

Chapter: 02 Parliamentary Committee in another parliament 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6

Introduction: United Kingdom: United States of America (USA) Germany: India: Summary of the chapter:

Chapter: 03 History of parliament structure of Bangladesh 3.1 Sabha -Samiti and Panchayats: Tradition of Representative Institutions: 3.2 Parliamentary Structures: British Colonial Period (1854-1947): 3.3 Committees in the Bengal Legislative Assembly: 3.4 Committees in the East Pakistan Legislature (1947-71): 3.5 Parliamentary Structure in Independent Bangladesh: Chapter: 04 Parliamentary system of Bangladesh Jatiyo Sangshad 4.1 Introduction: 4.2 Formal-Legal Framework Constitution: Rule of Procedure: 4.3 4.3. At a glance of Committees of ROP: 4.3.1. Non-Ministerial Standing Committee (NMSC): a) Business Advisory Committee (BAC) b) The House Committee: c) The Committee on Government Assurances: d) The Committee on Petitions and the Committee on Privileges: e) The Financial Committee: i) The Committee on Public Accounts (PAC): ii) The Committee on Estimates (EC): iii) The Committee on Public Undertaking (PUC): 4.3.2. Ministerial Standing Committees (MSC): a) Ad hoc Committees: i) The Select Committee on a Bill: 8|Page

18 18 18 19 19 20

21 21 22 22 23

24 24 24 25 26 29 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 32

Sl

4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11

Chapter and Topic ii)Special Committees: b) Sub Committees: Composition of Committee Tenure of Committee: Sitting of Committee: Report of Committee: Speaker’s decision regarding committee affairs: Committee Procedure: Committee: Members: Chairman of Committee: Main Functions of Committee: Administrative Structure and Services to Committee system: Political Parties: Summary of the chapter Chapter: 05 Overview of 8th and 9th parliamentary sanding committee Introduction: 9th Parliamentary Committee: Professional background of committee background: Female participation: Women Participation in 9th Parliament: Committee Business: Committee Report: Comparative study Comparison with Other Countries Criticism: Lesson Learnt and Recommendation Chapter:06 Summary and conclusion

Page No. 32 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 35 36

38 38 40 40 41 41 42 42 43 43 44

Annexure i ii iii A B C

Annexure: 01 Important Glossary: Annexure: 02 Article 76 of the Bangladesh Constitution: Annexure-03 Rules of Procedure Bibliography References

Bangla References

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47 50 50 54 54 55 55 68 69

Chapter: 01

Introduction and Conceptual Framework 1.1. Introduction: This is a study on parliamentary committees with particular reference to Bangladesh. The main implication of this work is ‘how do parliamentary committees perform when placed in the political context of post- colonial societies, where the political institutions, at least partly, have been imposed from outside rather than being fully indigenous. The presented internship focuses on the performances of parliamentary committees 8th and 9th parliaments. In doing so, this section first analyzes the evolution of the parliamentary structures with necessary examples. Bangladesh, the new identification by name of East Bangle to East Pakistan emerged as an independent state in 1971, after about two centuries of British rule and a further quarter century of Pakistani rule. The new independent country developed a new constitution, which was promulgated in 1972, adopted a parliamentary system of government reflecting the aspirations of the people who had struggled to achieve such a democratic system since the British colonial days. The Bangladesh Constitution entrusted all legislative authority to a unicameral Parliament called the ‘Jatiyo Sangsad’. The President was made the nominal head of the executive while the real executive power of the state was vested to the Prime Minister like the cabinet government as practiced in Britain. The Prime Minister and the cabinet were collectively responsible to the parliament. For ensuring government accountability to the parliament, constitution makers incorporated the provision of the parliamentary committee system in Article 76 of the Constitution. Article 76 of the Constitution formally granted the parliament the authority to appoint standing committees as necessary for discharging its functions. Though many favorable pre-conditions of the parliamentary system of the government were provided in the Constitution, lack of separation between state, government and party, depending party machinery on the leader, differences between the political parties, undermining of a free and fair electoral process, overwhelming majority of the government party in the parliament and their refusal to recognize the existence of the official opposition hindered the opportunities for the regime to practice norms and conventions of the parliamentary form of the government. A political turmoil happened in newly political society to create an accessible political environment ‘democracy’, state power coped by military and the constitutional buffering of democracy spoiled from 1975 to 1990. The constitution and parliament was dogged by military administration and the functional politicization and culture were grassed under weed. The military mentors tried to induce military legislature but it was not success. During the military regime, three parliaments had been formed under presidential form of govern that was mostly rubber stamp like institution. The article 76 of the constitution was a far crying. The most mispens of the constitution was its different amendment and comprising. In 1991, the hungered democracy of the life of Bangladesh mustering parliament democracy plundering constitution and foremost go. And the 10 | P a g e

parliamentary business starts it new journey with accomplishing committee system viewing same inspiration of the begging constitution. From 1991 to 2016 there are five elected parliaments though there are different discomfort about election process.

1.2. Research Issues Since the restoration of the parliamentary system in 1991, the committee system has created interests both in political science discipline and research prospectus. Academic discipline like obtaining a higher degree, universities and students are choosing JS committee system. Different national and international organizations or donor agencies, citizen forums and media emphasize on strengthening the committee system towards demanding government accountability by the parliament. Considering the above discussion this intern seeks to answer how do committees perform in a parliament where the political institutions mainly adopted from outside rather than being fully indigenous. Focusing on the following issues this research attempts to assess the performances of the committees in the post 1990 Bangladesh parliaments with necessary examples and illustrations. In this internship, it encompasses the below areas: 1) Formal arrangements of the committee system including composition, structure and functions of the committees. 2) Institutional mechanism affecting the functioning of the committee system in Bangladesh. 3) Performance of the committees of the Jatiya Sangsad regarding the legislative and overseeing processes. 4) The parliamentary committees and the society connection focusing on the role of the media and the civil society.

1.3. Significance of Parliamentary System: Modern state management is the age of Parliament. To make well function parliament, parliament experts the origin of Parliamentary Committees is the British Parliament which was started in seventeenth centuries. Then the role of the committees scrutinized the legislative bill. Gradually model of parliamentary function increased its dimension and USA, Germany and other democratic countries. In past, committees were not as much powerful as the present have. Now it is said that committees of parliament as a little legislature. Day to day the legislature is becoming more dependable in committees. In this circumstance, Committee system has evolved to make the parliamentary activities more effective. Drafting legislation takes place in the committees; the plenary does much less, because it has only limited amount of time to consider the draft bill. It becomes a general feature that much of the real parliamentary deliberations take place in the committees. For the last three decades, throughout the world, committee system has emerged as vibrant and important structure of the parent body. Therefore, it is a global trend to view the 11 | P a g e

committee system as an important structural element of the parent body. Around the world there is a trend to move towards more reliance on committees to conduct the work of parliament, and the greatest reason for this trend is a concern for efficiency. It is observed that the committees are the chief instruments for making decisions with regard to legislation and authorization and oversight of administrative actions. Committee system gradually has become the nucleus of many legislatures entrusted with the tasks of scrutinizing legislative proposals and monitoring government activities in favor of transparency and accountability. The most obvious purpose of committees is to scrutinize the activities of the executive branch, which includes administrative oversight and financial oversight. Permanent committees corresponding to the government departments are assigned to oversee particular government department. Most parliaments thus employee financial committees like Budget Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee or Government Undertakings Committees for monitoring financial matters. In the recent decades, the focus of the parliamentary committees has been shifted from legislative deliberation to placing an emphasis on their oversight role. While parliaments declined in status and effectiveness, subject based new committees have been introduced to achieve effective control over government. In recent decades, subject based departmental standing committees open the windows for the legislators to develop their expertise on particular areas. 1.4. Conceptual Framework Parliamentary Committee activities depend upon a variety of factors. The factors that affect the working of parliamentary committees can be divided into three fields: a) Political Environment b) Committee Structure c) Committee Capacity

1.4.1. Political environment: Political environment is a great factor of committee activates. Political environment depends on few factors. Such as State Structure, Political Situation, Political Parties, Bureaucracy, Interest Groups, Civil society and Media. A short narration: i)

State Structure: Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, the three are the structure of a state. Three types of political systems are commonly found that are presidential system, parliamentary system and semi-presidential system. The former is based upon the principle of separation of power and operates through the constitutional system of check and balance. In this system, each branch of the government has some scrutiny and control over other branches that is a factor of committee system. Such as in USA constitution, there are checks and balance system. Separation of power of the three branches are absent in USA congress. The constitution is a presidential system. Again,

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in which parliament, has legislative and executive are controlled by political executive. UK, India and other countries have such political system. And In a hybrid system, executive power is shared between a separately elected a President and a Prime Minister or Chancellor who are separately elected. It is sometimes termed as the semi-presidential system if the constitution and/or political circumstances tend to place emphasis on the power of the President. If the Prime Minister and the legislative leaders enjoy more power than the President does, it may be referred to as a semi-parliamentary system where the President does more power than Prime Minister and the Legislature it is may be referred to as a semi-presidential. Parliament experts argued, in the Presidential parliament, committee system is more strong than Cabinet parliamentary system. Separation of power is very important to function the committees well. In Ministerial parliamentary system, legislature and executive are controlled by a same leader and same political party in both house. And they practice the law which the party men accept, and the committee people are from legislature leading party, and the committee become use less.

ii)

Political Situation: Political Situation is another factor of committees’ function. We found different political situations, sometimes parliament becomes inactive or abolished for political upraising. Sometimes, parliament is being manipulated by the executives, sometimes, there are a less control of executives and sometimes, only parliament becomes policy or rule making house. These kinds of political abruption are frequently happened in the third world countries. These kinds of situations arise when state power coped by military administration, the military rulers try to legalize their rule in legislature, become rubber stamp parliament, absence of constitutional behavior. The military ruler forms political party and shows a mock election, become one party alliance of the state and smashed the major pillars of a country. Again, parliament and politics becomes one party executive by one political party. Such kinds of situation create political turmoil and government change frequently. As the government changed frequently, the parliament gets new MP and the committee of parliament gets new delegations. The new delegations are not experience and do not mean business properly. Ultimately, the power of committee goes to the leader of house and accountability of the government becomes autocratic.

iii)

Political party: This is another factor of success of committees. Political party men become the member of the house and the parliament party selects men to forming committees. Whip of the house listed the members who will go which committee. The

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committee members are selected from their elected MPs and they mostly seek political merit and age of politics. Sometimes, influential political leader and personal interest MP lobbies to get nomination of committee member or chair. Present practices are, the parliament party does not consider opposition party MPs to nominate in parliamentary committee. In political practices, opposition party always criticize the power party and the power party does not take it as positive apron. In this view, the power party takes its MPs in committees for more control for party will and commitment and keep behind the opposition party men. As a result, the committee people do not debate any decisions, the role of committee breaks. So, committee will depend on political parties and behaviors.

iv)

Interest Groups: Presently, interest groups are being involved in politics. The interest group people tries to get nomination for Parliament. If wins, then tries to get appointment in committee. When they become a man of policy maker, they will try to incorporate their interest into rule or law which will be passed by the house. Not only such way the interest group works. Interest groups or associations are directly or indirectly involved in the process of government through different channels. Among the various channels, parliamentary committee system is one of the important organs to influence government policies. They pursue three strategies to accomplish their demands in the committees. They maintain a good contact with the committee members, they have members in the parties who peruse to get appointment on the appropriate committee or they maintain a contact with political parties outside the parliament. Safely observed that members of a parliamentary group whether small or large have strong ties with associations.

v)

Civil Society: Civil society has appeared as an important factor in strengthening democracy in the developing states. It is often populated by organized groups and institutions that are independent of the state such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), professionals, academia, social and religious groups. It may be defined as ‘people coming together around a common concern, a concern which is linked to the values of the wider society, and insisting that the major institutions--the state, political parties, and business take these values into consideration. Civil society plays important role in democratic system in policy or decision making process. CS arises voice or gives opinion on a bill to review, amendment or any. If CS could have the chance to see into a bill for the will of nation than accountability and transparency of committee will be increased. Civil society is seen active in promoting participation, advocating for transparency and accountability in new and restored democratic countries. The developing states, particularly which emerged from decades of dictatorship need to find

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ways to monitor and restrain the power of the political leaders and bureaucracy. It has been observed that in these states, civil society raised public concern about any misuse of power. They worked for controlling the power of the state and corruption. The countries where electoral process and parliament remain weak and fragile, civil society actors work there to improve democratic governance. vi)

Media: A media is a mirror of nation. A strong media composition keeps the government straight forward. In committee functions, media coverage will collect public opinion on a work of legislature. In committee business, media will appear there. The independence of the media from state control is crucially important in publicizing the activities of the parliaments. The countries where media is strictly regulated by the state apparatus have a great chance to promote partisan interests. On the contrary, media in private hands' and with regulatory flexible framework have wider opportunity to project the activities of the parliament neutrally. However, media houses tended to promote certain principle or ideology. Thus, the role of media in publicizing the parliamentary activities depends upon the nature of the ideology of the owner and state principles.

1.4.2. Formal-legal framework: The constitution and the rules of procedure are the two sources of committee organization and their functioning. The constitution generally defines the jurisdiction of committees and in some cases, it is mandatory for the parliament to appoint some specific committees. The constitution also sets out broad principles of information acquisition. Right to demand presence of ministers for witnesses, right to demand documents or to hold public hearing depends upon the power given in the constitution. The rules of procedure specify actual number of committees and their method of functioning. i)

Committee type: In different country or parliament has different kinds or types of committee but few of them are mostly same in functions. Around the world, committees are broadly categorized into two types: permanent and ad hoc type committees. Permanent committees can further be broken into ministerial standing committees and non-ministerial standing committees. Permanent committees, which parallel the structure of the ministries, have greater opportunities for policy activity than those which are temporary and which have different principles of formation.

ii)

Committee selection process: Committee selection process depends on the will of government. The constitution of the parliament demands few select committees that could be ruled in procedure and all the rest standing committee will be selected by the house leader. Few committees are selected by the Speaker of the parliament and some of them are nominated by the leader of the house. There is rule or procedure

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shows, the ability of being member or benign the chairman of the committee. Some committee’s chairman become some ex-officio. Sometimes, the parliament select some special committee or ad hoc committee or subcommittee for smarter business purpose. Select committees select to meet national demand and political manifesto. There is a remarkable gap in practice that, the ruling party when enjoys the power to select the committees, could not discuss with the opposition parliamentary party. 1.5. Literature Review: The role of parliamentary committee system can be understood in the contexts of its emergence and working. Here, a review of the existing literature about various issues of the committee system will be discussed. Most of the data are collected from TIB. Literature work of Ronaque Jahan and Inge Amundsen present their work titled “The parliament of Bangladesh Representation and Accountability” where they tried to influence in parliamentary business and upwards. Md.Awal Hossain Mollah, Lecturer, Rajjshahi University discussed about good governance issues in hi work “Good Governance of Bangladesh: Role of the Parliament”. An assessment work by World Bank Group, “Bangladesh: Country Financial Accountability Assessment, Parliamentary Control Over Public Expenditure in Bangladesh: The Role of Committees” tries to present weakness of Bangladesh parliament to ensure financial accountability & “Orientation Handbook for Members of Parliaments” written by John K. Johnson Robert T. Nakamura World Bank, tries to show roles and responsibility of MP of Bangladesh Legislature. “Committee System of Bangladesh Parliament” Committee Supporting wing, Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat, constructively presented about parliamentary committee systems framework. “Effectiveness of Parliamentary Standing Committees in Bangladesh: Challenges and Way Forward”, TIB presented parliamentray committee systems challenges to implements. H.W. R. Wate discusses constitutional development approaches in his work “Constitutional Fundamentals”. K.M. Mohiuddin discusses ins and outs of parliamentary committee system and Development of Bangladesh. He discussed historical perspective of Committee system of Bangladesh as well as discusses challenges and suggestions. Md. Navid Ullah discussed major perspective and development of Parliamentary System of Bangladesh. 1.6. Methodology of the work In this thesis paper, I go through a scientific method to gather information. In this thesis, I presented historical combination analysis and descriptive approaches. During the work, I accomplished a glance of different activities and achievements of parliamentary committees of 8th and 9th parliament of Bangladesh. To evaluate committee system in legislature, I discuss a short on developed parliaments committee system. To explain present legal framework and social involvement in committee systems are comparatively narrated in political viewpoints. There is comparative discussion of the 8th and 9th parliament committee practices. There are few data and information presented as because there are not enough data in my collection. Different literature review, research papers, journal and paper were collected from internet. The information is mostly collected from different web pages. There are few constructive criticism on committee system of Bangladesh and prescribed few recommendation in viewing democracy. I tried to show qualifications of the committee members and personal interest as mostly seen politics are engulf by interest group to gain personal interest. I presented women participation and engagement in parliamentary business. I used a very few abbreviations in discussion as it could be easy understand. 16 | P a g e

There are few political terms are note in my research which will be an element to get understand narration. 1.7. Overview of the internship Bangladesh is being introduced as a democratic country around the world. It has a long journey since British rule. After a long dedication of revolution for democracy, 1971skecthes its shape. But, the beauty of democracy differently becomes polluted. Though that incidence, constitutional development of Bangladesh was being restored and the practices are in run. Parliamentary committee systems of the constitution of Bangladesh in legislature and its functions, effectiveness etc. are discussed in the work. To examine it, there are different references, data and information discussed and used which are collected from different sources. To present the discussion, I divided it in different chapters. In first chapter-01 it is discussed about conceptual framework of parliamentary committee system to examine significance of parliamentary committee system with books, journals and newspapers. Chapter two discusses different parliamentary committee systems to incorporate evaluation of Bangladesh Parliamentary Committee System. Chapter three discusses history of parliamentary system of Bangladesh. In this chapter I mentioned traditional concept of committee system in law making process. Journeys of committee system in a formal way in British India, Pakistan period and in Bangladesh. Chapter four discusses present parliamentary systems of Bangladesh where I incorporate formal framework like the constitution article, rule of procedures for parliamentary party. Here I discussed on different parliamentary committee structures and procedures. Chapter Five is narrated with different data and information in a statistical way to represent 8th and 9th parliamentary activities. In compression of two parliamentary achievement, I present a critical criticism and discussion. There are different recommendations on parliamentary committee activities for democratization of parliamentary business. Chapter Six is a conciliation summary where different comments of experts are represented. The paper has a glossary with note. The Internship also contains Article of Constitution of Bangladesh and ROP of the parliament in annexure. At last Bibliography and references.

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Chapter: 02 Parliamentary Committee in another parliament 2.1. Introduction: The committee system in parliament is an old practice in parliamentary systems. Different parliament has different framework for its committee. It depends of political environment of that country. The members of parliamentary committee usually come from majority party of legislature. But, very few parliament practices propositional divide among parliamentary parties. It shows the political discipline of the parliament and symbol of democratic practices. Number of Member and number of committee also are the matter of parliamentary system and framework. Chairman of the committee is a major factor for nomination. Now, we can see a nutshell of committee systems of different parliament. 2.2. United Kingdom: The mother of Democracy, British parliament, practices parliamentary committee system. The committees work upon Westminster system. There are two kinds of standing committee: a) Selected Parliamentary Committee: Any bill automatically comes to Selected committee to get final recommendation and review which is more powerful than standing committee. This committee is parament and will work till the parliament tenure. The committee will oversight administrative budget, expenditure and other ministerial or departmental issues. b) Standing Committee of House: Any bill could review or set recommendation or proposal of amendment, but it should be submitted to selected committee for final recommendation. When a bill comes the committee, it will be act as ad hoc committee.

2.3. United States of America (USA) The two parts composition, the world’s strong second house of parliament ‘Senate’ and the house of Representative of USA Congress, has strong committee system. Most of the major legislative decisions, bill, rules and other policies of house go to Congressional Committees or sub committees. The two house have two system of committee and their work is different in nature. The house of Representative has 19 committees and the Senate has 15 committees. The committees could summon if administrative officials do not co-operate with the committees positively. The committees may recommend a bill or to amend the bill to pass in house. The committees may change a bill entirely expect the tile of the bill and could report the bill in place of the amendment. It could stop a bill to pass in house. According the sort narration, it assumes that, committee system of USA is a strong democratic practice for the nation. President Woodrow Wilson predicted that, the congressional government is the committee government and he also ascertained that Congress in its committee room is Congress at works. 18 | P a g e

2.4. Germany: The parliament (Budestag) takes a decision on the number of committees to be constituted and on their composition at the beginning of each electoral team. Germany has three constitutional law; Basic Law, Federation Law and Special Law. There is a parliamentary group system. The group constitutes the committee members and replace and removal are also vested in the group. At the beginning of the parliament, the group formats 23 permanent committees for the full time electoral. 12 committees are formatted by parliamentary majority party by code and 11 other committees are formatted by the opposition parliamentary party. Two kinds of committees: a) Permanent and b) Special committee are in practices of legislation. Only permanent committee could form sub or ad hoc committee if feels needs (ROP 45). There is a Lead committee to present any recommended bill of the committees in plenary. According the Basic Law of Budestag, for any summon or interview, parliamentary group will confirm the obligation. The Budget committee reviews budgetary projections, government and administrative annual expenditure. Committee system of Germany is a multifaceted and complex procedure. The house of Elder practices supreme authority of committee functions. 2.5. India: India is one of the democratic government of the world. The parliament business has committee system. The parliamentary committees are divided into different categories. These area) Financial Committees b) Departmentally Related Standing Committees; c) Other Parliamentary Standing Committees; and d) Ad hoc Committees. The federal parliamentary system composes committees nominating a portion of member from Raja Sabha. Each Standing Committee consisted of not more than 45 members 30 to be nominated by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha and 15 to be nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. Now the new amendment as 2004, Standing Committee consisted of not more than31, who are 21 from Loak Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha. Rule of Proceeding of Parliament 253 to 331 rules are on Committee framework of Indian Parliament. Any bill at first discussed at house ant to motion to move in selected committee or joint committee. Committee study the bill clause by clause to study the bill and finally the committee prepare a report on the bill to house to pass. No minister of any minister could be a member even chairman of the respected committee. The code of ROP as the code of Bangladesh ROP. But by nature, it is more different from Bangladesh committee system.

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2.6. Summary of the chapter: Observing the different parliamentary committees and their activities, we may point out the below functions: a) Legislative oversight: In present democratic parliament, legislature depends more in its committee to reduce its work load. Legislature seeks examination ins and outs of a bill thus there would not be any question for. And Committees do their duties to security any bill and recommend if there is any inconsistency or matter of public will or socio-political aspects. As a result, legislature does not enjoy dictator passing a bill. b) Executive Oversight: Committees of different ministry examines any bill drafts by a ministry. The ministerial standing committee examines the bill if there is any inconsistency or any correction or any amendment. Ministry is bound to give its update report to committee. On a report, committee justifies estimate and achievement. If there is any deviation, committee produces a report against the committee and present in parliament. c) Financial Oversight: Any financial Estimate, Expenditure of ministry, executive or any high officials of executive, committee audits and monitors the financial plans. Committee examines estimate vs actual achievement. If committee finds any inconsistency, committee produces a report and present in house session.

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Chapter: 03

History of parliament structure of Bangladesh Today’s Bangladesh has long journey and history. And institutional development of politics belongs from ancient time. To show the parliamentary structure in terms of justifying committee system, I mentioned it with different stages and regimes of rulers. 3.1. Sabha -Samiti and Panchayats: Tradition of Representative Institutions: Historians and indigenous ancient literature show that democracy was well in place in India long before the British came. In the Hindu ruler regimes, there was a political system as city-sate embodied a few villages ruled by a king titled (Rajan). The Rajan was chosen by people and governed with their consent and approval. There were two assemblies formed by the king named as Sabha and Samiti. The two assemblies suggested and helped the king with advices and corrective measures. Not only that the two bodies were examines the rules of the king whether it was for welfare in favor of dominances. The Sabha and Samiti were differentiated from each other in their status and functions. Though the two components of king as auxiliary govern but they had separate aspect of activity. Samiti deserves as general assembly where people could have access in particular terms besides Sabha was the selected body of King from the elder representative of Samity. Samity were selected their king. The two houses had not right to posse a law and rule as because all text of rule and law were sacred or secular. The two wings of king were prided twin ‘daughters’. The historian predicted that it the ancient political systems was more democratic in practices and contained rudiments of a modern parliament. In regime of Muslim rule, the Samiti and Sabha were destroyed and established Sultanates in Mughal period. The ruler appointed ministers or councilors to assist him and to carry out his commands. The body of councilors was not popular by people. In village level, Panchayat system was constituted who was the face of Sultans or King. Panchayat had an elected head man who had social responsibility to collect tax or revenue for government. The panchayat system gradually replaced in Union Board in British rule. 3.2. Parliamentary Structures: British Colonial Period (1854-1947): There were representative institutions in ancient India at various levels. After impunity by British in India subcontinent, there was not representation of Indians in parliamentary system till 1853. When Indian got imperialism, western politics understood, different political turmoil on the banner of privileging citizen rights, British ruler studied the concept or motive of politics, they develop a new parliamentary system consisted Indian. Different constitutional reform and amendment. These are Act of Charter 1853, Indian Council act of 1861, Indian Council Act 1892, The Legislative 21 | P a g e

Council Act, Indian Providence Act 1919 and Indian Government Act 1935. The transaction of legislative institution and constitutional development of British India had different perspective. Charter 1853 power delegation from Est India Company to Crown, a separate governor for Bangle, Separation Executive council to legislation in provincial government. In 1861, Indian Council Act only reformation of executive, legislative and providence administrative reformation and no other act and administrative reformation has a proper portion of Indian’s participation in law making process. But in 1919 Indian Government Act delegated with proper participation of Indians and legislative committee system was properly fictional structured. Before 1920, the working committee was categorized into the Committee of Whole House, The Select Committees and The Petition Committee. In new act, the Whole House Committee was abolished and reformed as departmental Standing Committees and Public Account Committee. Till 1937, the committees were selective. A new legislation, and its committees were elected by procedure and the system was forging in the independence of India and Separation in two countries. 3.3. Committees in the Bengal Legislative Assembly: The growth of committee system in the Bengal legislature may be traced with the establishment of the legislative assemblies in the provinces. The committees, which functioned in the Bengal Legislative Assembly, could be divided into four types: Committee of the Whole House, Select Committee, Finance Committee and Public Accounts Committee. The Bengal Legislative Assembly often turned into Committee of the Whole House. Following the British parliamentary practice, House itself resolved into a committee with all members of the Assembly to review important bill or particular parts of legislation without observing the formalities required by the Rules of Procedure. It was a different manner of sitting of the Assembly. 3.4. Committees in the East Pakistan Legislature (1947-71): After gaining separation from India, East Pakistan constituted the first Legislative Assembly under the Indian Act of 1935. The assembly was continued till 1954. After constitutional election, the second assembly was constituted 1954 and prolonged 1958 before the military cop the power. A rule committee was first constituted in 1956 but it did not make its proper function. In the Est Pakistan assembly, there were two types of committees: the standing committees and the ad hoc select committees. The select committees were either selected by the Speaker or elected by the House. The Select committees scrutinized a particular bill as referred to them by the plenary. The plenary Committees were ad hoc in nature as their terms of reference were limited to examine and report on the referred bill from selected committee. The Minister in charge of the concerned department was in chair. At this stage, bill was discussed in depth and asked experts and representatives view and opinion on bill. But there were very negligible approaches; most of the bill did not sent to the selected committee. The ad hoc committee directly send the bill to the 22 | P a g e

assembly and passed the bill even they did not call for regular meeting. Only Public Account Committee was in function and regularize its meeting and prepared report. 3.5. Parliamentary Structure in Independent Bangladesh: Bangladesh has a history of independence since 1757. Different political, social and economic turmoil had in account of liberation which stood in ground in 1971. Different political conspiracy destroyed political will of Bangle. The major convent of conspiracy was in the rule of Pakistan when they abolished Constitutional Assembly with coping Military rule titled Martial law and Bangle got new identification as Est Pakistan. In 1971, the Bangle earns the independence. After independence, a new constitution was constituted in 1972 and the legislative parliamentary power named ‘Jatiya Sangshad’. The prime Minister and the cabinet will be responsible to parliament and the President was made ceremonial head. The new constitution was build gathering knowledge from different countries constitution and placed parliamentary sanding committee in Article 76. A rule of parliament was also constituted and there mentioned the framework of the committees. According to the first ROP JS had to set up seven standing committee and the new ROP provided for four more standing committees. The parliament constituted eleven standing committees were; three financial, two investigative, six domestic committees. But the standing committees could not ensure its supremacy over the executive due to overwhelming majority of the power party and there had refusal of opposition representative in committee. Though that, the parliamentary system possessed one party presidential model. The scenario got quick change. After the ancient black night 1975, the Bangladesh again vested its power in military intervention and the military regime at a stack till 1990 directly or indirectly. The parliament Committee system again broken down. Political scientists predict that the military regime on hold the country in favor of traditional colonial politics. The root of colonial mentality of military had an inject flow from British-India Army and in Pakistan Martial law army plantation. When army conquered in power, they kept themselves away from public or mass people. It senses as anti-governmental, anti-national and anti-political. The army ruler believed that they could operate and direct the executive functionally. But it did not spring to the people. After math, the regime of military destroyed by political suggestion by general people. Till 1990, the politicization of Bangladesh and doing nationalization hampered much and the development of the country remain backwards. After the fall of authoritarian regime, the parliamentary system of government was reintroduced in 1991. From than the parliamentary committee system is in function and democratization is onward.

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Chapter: 04

Parliamentary system of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangshad 4.1. Introduction: The present chapter attempts to analyze the legal basis, institutional capacity and working procedure of the committees in the Bangladesh parliament. In doing so, the first section analyzes the formallegal arrangements from the viewpoint of institutional power, the second and the third sections discuss committee structure and procedure respectively. By analyzing the relationship between committees and political parties the fourth section seeks to answer how the parties control their committee members. 4.2. Formal-Legal Framework Committee system of parliament is a nucleus body serving both legislation and parliamentary oversight of the government. It is a most popular practice in parliamentary government of the world. Bangladesh has a parliamentary committee system that ensures accountability of the executive and to filter the legislative proposals before enactment into law. 4.2.1. Constitution: Bangladesh parliament ‘Jatiya Sangshad’ has its committee system which has constitutional strength. Article 76 of the Bangladesh Constitution, Part ‘V’, The Legislature, Chapter-I, Parliament, ‘Standing committees of Parliament’ clearly defines about parliamentary standing committees. The constitution makes its bindings to set-upi) Public accounts committee; ii) committee of privileges; and iii) Such other standing committees as the rules of procedure of Parliament require The article 76 refers as Legislative committees. 76 (1) “Parliament shall appoint from among its members the following standing committees”. 76 (2) gives opportunity to the house to form such other standing committees if the house think what is saying 76(1) (C), subject to other law. 76 (2) (a-d) is the basic framework about responsibility of Committees. Committees could examine draft Bills and other legislative proposals; They could review the enforcement of laws and propose measures for such enforcement; in relation to any matter referred to it by Parliament as a matter of public importance, investigate or inquire into the activities or administration of a Ministry and may require it to furnish, through an authorized representative, relevant information and to answer questions, orally or in writing and will bound to perform any other function assigned to it by Parliament. 76 (3) dedicates special power to the committee to enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath, affirmation or otherwise; and compelling the production of documents. According the constitutional structure, Rule of Procedure defines specifically the framework of committees. [Source- The Bangladesh Constitution]

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4.2.2. Rule of Procedure: The Rules of Procedure of Parliament of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Chapter ‘XXVII’, “Rules Regulating Committees” from 187 to 266 rules are the functional structure of committee systems. The Constitution of Bangladesh composes basic structure of committee system. Committee definition, Appointment of Committee, discharge, composition, duties and responsibilities, quorum, powers, different committees, their definition, responsibility and tenure, chairman, evidence and oath etc. a clear guidance are given in ROP. The Rules of Procedure not only the rule of committee but also operating rule of Jatiyo Sangshad of Bangladesh. The characteristics of ROP of Bangladesh Parliament, we may categories: i) Written: All rules are clearly defined and written. ii) Chapter by chapter define: All working area of Parliament are defining chapter by chapter and easy to understand. iii) Amendable: The ROP is amendable. It was last amended in 2007. iv) Essential rule: ROP is an essential literature of Parliament. v) Linguistic standard: The language of ROP is stander, no clumsy word to read. [Source- Rule of Procedure of Bangladesh Parliament]

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4.3. At a glance of Committees of ROP: Sl

No. of rule

Name of Committee

(Table: 01) Key Responsibility

Nominated by

Members

Government and other private bill resolution time frame Examine Private Bill’s impotency

Speaker nominated

Not more than 15

1

B (219221)

Business Advisory Committee (BAC)

2

C (222224)

Private Member Bill and Resolution (PMBR)

3

D (225230)

Selected Committee on Bill (SCB)

Examine any recommended bill by house

Parliament

4

E (231232)

Petition Committee (PC)

Examine any petition on a bill

Speaker nominated

5

F (233234)

Standing Committee on Public Account (SCPA)

Examine public expenditure annually

Parliament

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Parliament

Chairman

Note.

Speaker as To discuss stage by stage in bill, how Ex-Officio much time allocation will be considered, the committee will allocate. The bill will be referred by Speaker of house. Not more Nominate The bill which will be present in house than 10 from by an MP or opposition party that bill Members will be considered whether it is realistic, imported, potential or any circumstances by grading A or B categories. Not more Nominate For any bill need to more investigate line than 10 from by line or couched, the house will be Members select such committees. The committee plays important role to furnished a bill and placed in assemble. Not less Speaker as The Committee examines any petition by than 10 Ex-Officio house referred to the committee. If the bill complies with the rule, then it present in house or if not thereof speaker suggests for remedial of the incorporates Not move Nominate 1. The committee examines the than 15 from expenditure and annual finance of the Members house which was granted by the house. 2. scrutinizing the Appropriation Accounts of the Government and the report of the Comptroller and AuditorGeneral thereon 3. Examines money that shows in the account for the purpose of legally project

Sl

No. of rule

Name of Committee

Key Responsibility

Nominated by

Members

6

G (235237)

Committee on Estimate (CE)

Examine estimate projected by government

Parliament

Not less than 10

7

H (238239)

Committee of Public Undertake (PUC)

Examine Different Administrative expenditure

Parliament

Not less than 10

8

I (240243)

Standing Committee of Privileges (SCP)

Examine any question to check the privileges were miss guided

Parliament

Not less than 10

9

J (244245)

Committee on Government Assurance (CGA)

Examine the sentences or commitment of

Parliament

Not less than 10

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Chairman

Note.

the service or purposes the expenditure the authority which governs 4. examine any autonomous or state corporation scheme, its trading, earning, expenditure or balance account or any directed by speaker. 5. Any other state owned financial transection if the house askes. Nominate The committee time to time examines from economic improvement, efficiency, Members administrative reform, alternative polices to bring efficiency economic administration or the what money laid out within the polices and prepare report. Nominate The committee examines annual from expenditures as per projected or Members estimated of the department of Govt. as Schedule IV of the constitution says and recommends for further proper utilization of expenditure. Speaker as The Committee shall examine every Ex-Officio question referred to it and determine with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and, if so, the nature of the breach, the circumstances leading to it and make such recommendations as it may deem fit Nominate The committee examines any assurances, from promises, Members undertakings, etc. present in house by a minister, have implemented in time to

Sl

No. of rule

Name of Committee

10

K (246248)

11

L (249256)

Standing Committee on Certain Other Subject House Committee (HC)

12

M (257262)

13

N (263265)

14

O (266)

Key Responsibility

minister pointed in house Examine any sectoral draft bill by ministry

Members

Parliament

Not less than 10

Speaker nominated

More than 12

Library Committee Full Utilization of (LC) Library services

Speaker nominated

Not more than 9

Standing Committee on Rule of Procedure (CROP)

Parliament

Not less than 12

Parliament

Not specified

Resolve accommodation related question

To consider any rule of procedure to operate parliament or thereof any amendment Special Committee ad hoc committee (SC)

[Source- Rule of Procedure of Bangladesh Parliament]

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Nominated by

Chairman

Note.

necessary purposes in anywhere or not implemented. Nominate Any draft bill of any sectoral by ministry from would be examine its necessity and Members efficiency or any, the standing committee will examine in depth. Speaker as Deals with all question relating to Ex-Officio residential accommodation for member of parliament and entire supervision of food, medical, aid. Other animates of the house members. The sub committees under the committee shall do such kind of job as the House committee recommend. Deputy Assist members of Parliament in fully Speaker as utilizing the services provided by the Ex-Officio Library. Speaker as The Committee will examine the Ex-Officio procedures and conduct of business in the House and to recommend any amendments of ROP, addition or alteration or repeal. Nominate from Members

Special committee will be formed if house think for special purposes.

The above table shows the committees of ROP. Now, classified discussion of the committees. According to the ROP we found two kinds of Committees or the committees are divided in two kinds by nature. 4.3.1. Non-Ministerial Standing Committee (NMSC): The committees which are formatted for the whole electoral period of the parliament for five distinct purposes like: i) House Keeping ii) Services iii) Scrutiny iv) Security Investigative v) Financial The committees are also five in categories. These are a) House Keeping Committees: The committee is divided into three different committees 1. The Business Advisory Committee 2. The Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions 3. The Committee on Rules of Procedure b) The House committee and the Library. The Committees are into the category of service committees. c) The Committee on Government Assurances is in nature a scrutinizing committee. d) The Committee on Privilege and the Committee on Petitions are investigative committees. e) The Committee on Estimates, the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Undertakings fall into the category of financial committees. a) Business Advisory Committee (BAC) The Business Advisory Committee consists of 15 members, the Speaker as ex-officio chairperson, and chairman appoint the members whom are the leader of the House, the opposition leader, the deputy speaker and the chief whip. According the ROP we may say the committee importance is to conduct internal affairs of JS. Under the Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions is responsible to examine every Bill seeking amendment of the Constitution for which a notice is given by a private member. All private members' Bills are referred to this committee to classify them according to their nature, urgency and importance. The committee recommends the time that should be allocated for discussion of each private member’s Bill and indicates in the timetable different hours at which various stages of the Bill in a day shall be completed. Observing the functions of the Committee on Rules of Procedure of the JS are very much 29 | P a g e

similar to those of the Committee for Scrutiny of Elections, Immunity and the Rules of Procedure of the German Bundestag. b) The House Committee: The House committee and the Library committee are service committees in nature. The House committee is appointed to deal with all questions related to residential accommodation for the members of the Parliament while the Library committee considers and advises on such matters concerning the Library. These two committees assist the members in utilizing fully the services provided by the MP Hostel and the Library. The speaker of parliament is the ex-officio chairman. c) The Committee on Government Assurances: According to the Rules of Procedure, the committee scrutinizes assurances, promises, undertakings, etc. given by a Minister, from time to time, on the floor of the House and reports on whether such assurances, promises, undertakings, etc. have been implemented or not. The chairman would be nominated from house. d) The Committee on Petitions and the Committee on Privileges: The speaker is the ex-officio chairman of the both committee which are investigative committees in nature. The committees hold investigative power, and according to ROP examine very petition referred to it and can suggest remedial measures if there any inconsistencies. The Petition Committee ensures investigation of cases of irregularities of the government departments or misconduct of individual politicians or government officials. Rule 240 of the ROP the Committee on Privileges is set up to examine every question referred to it and to determine with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and if this committee finds out the nature of the breach, circumstances leading to it than it can make such recommendations as it may deem fit. e) The Financial Committee: The Jatiyo Sangshad introduces three financial committees: i) The Committee on Public Accounts (PAC): The PAC closely scrutinizes the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General and fortifies the Principal Accounting Officers against the temptation of financial irregularities. The PAC expresses its opinion thereon and records its findings and recommendations. ii) The Committee on Estimates (EC): The EC can examine any expenditure and make suggestions about achieving efficiency in administration. This committee can examine entire administration of the Government, including financial, administrative.

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iii) The Committee on Public Undertaking (PUC): Among the three financial committees, the PUC is responsible to examine the reports and accounts of the public-sector organizations specified in the Schedule IV of the Rules of Procedure. PUC can also examine any deficiency of the public undertakings, whether the affairs of the public undertakings are being managed in accordance with sound business principles and prudent commercial practices. But PUC could not examine or investigate major Government policy as distinct from business or commercial functions of public undertakings, and day-to-day administration. This committee cannot examine matters for the consideration of which any machinery is stablished by any special statute under which a particular public undertaking is established. The three Financial committees are considered as the most powerful and important committee for sanctioning, scrutinizing and monitoring of public expenditure. By the Constitutional Article 76 (1) (a), The Public Account Committee is mandatory. The three committee also examine the financial budget provisions during budget preparation by the parliament. It is recommended that Parliament of Bangladesh could develop a budget review committee separately. 4.3.2. Ministerial Standing Committees (MSC): Ministerial Standing Committees are important shapes of the rolling party and their ruling. This is why, the committees play important role. This model was devoted in JS following U.S. congress. The committees are responsible for scrutinizing the legislative bills before consideration in the House and overseeing the activities of the respective ministry. The Leader of house will take decision to form committees, as many thinks that many committee will be formed by, noninitiated from the members of the house, not appointing more committees a member and no minister will be a chairman or member in this committee but the minister could attend in the meeting if wish by taking permission of the chairman of the committee, condition applies only could discuss on a bill but not cast vote. The number of the departmental standing committees depends on the size of the government ministry. So, any change of the ministry brings change in the number of the committees. The present 10th parliament has 45 standing committee a) Ad hoc Committees: Ad hoc Committee is not a permanent function forming by the standing committee if feels the need to scrutiny any bill or to exclusive observe of a bill referred form the house. While standing, committees carry the main burden of the parliament, some special and select committees are also formed to deal with particular matters. The Bangladesh JS traditionally sets up two types of ad hoc committees:

i) The Select Committee on a Bill: 31 | P a g e

The Select Committee is traditionally established to examine a bill if the member-in-charge of the Bill referred it to such a committee rather than a standing committee. ii) Special Committees: ROP 266 says the parliament may, by notion, appoint a Special Committee, which shall have such composition and function as may be specified in the motion. b) Sub Committees: The committees of parliament could form sub committees as many, each having undivided power, to examine any bill referred and producing report of such committee report will be the report of whole team. Therein refers that the committees will sit together to point by point discuss a bill. 4.4. Composition of Committee a) Members: All the members of each committees will be the member as qualified by ROP of the legislature, only Leader of House will be the member as ex office of the committee of Business Advisory and other as said ROP. The number of different committees are shown in the Table-01. b) Chairman: All NMSC chairman will be the Speaker and Deputy Speaker as Ex Officio  Speaker: Business Advisory Committee, Petition Committee, Standing Committee of Privileges, House Committee and Committee of Rule of Procedure.  Deputy Speaker: Library Committee. All MSC chairmen will nominated from house, for any instance a member of a committee will be act as chairman selected by the committee or as said by chairman. For any cause, Chairman may write own hand application honor to the Speaker, would be vacant. The leader of house will nominate a new chairman form house. Minister of a department of any could not be a member, nor the chairman of the committee, if therein a member will be select minister, the position of member or chairman will be vacant from the instance 4.5. Tenure of Committee: A committee formatted by the parliament will be in office till the parliament in an electoral period. 4.6. Sitting of Committee: The Committee Meeting will be held on the same day at same hour as the chairman of the committee will fix. Sitting of the committees will be private. The quorum of sitting may be as much nearer member of one third of total member. The sitting shall be in the selected place inside of the parliament. Sitting may be possible, speaker of the house will give permission prior. If any reasons, unavailability of the chairman, parliament secretary ex-officio will be call for sitting. 4.7. Report of Committee: 32 | P a g e

report will be present in parliament, the bill or any which was referred to it within one month if parliament not fixed time should follow the said rule of ROP. The chairman would present the report or if he is not able to than a member will present the report in house with under signature. Till the report is not present in parliament, the report will consider as a confidential matter by the committee to maintain. a) Special Report: A committee may present a special report if the committee think, the matter which is light of the course of a work considering necessity, to bring the house 4.8. Speaker’s decision regarding committee affairs: If any doubts arise, the chairman would bring it to notice to speaker, the decision of Speaker will be considered the final.

4.9. Committee Procedure: Committee procedure is also important factor of committee system. First, we have to discuss about the way to forming the committee and its members.

4.10. Committee: The Majority party will perform the leading party of legislature and the leader of the house, as said the constitution the chairman of elected party, will take decision to which member will be member for which committee and also the chairman. But, it would not be over the third session from the new parliament.

4.11. Members: There is no specific indication in ROP that who will be the member of the committee. Basically, the rolling party forms the committee and members come from the party. As because, the rolling party seeks electoral dignity to perform. In JS rolling party system is mostly developed though the other parliamentary party especially the opposite major party will have member in committee. But, in committee history of Bangladesh JS has not such example. In Indian parliament and ROP of the parliament guides the duo party member system. The Majority party thinks political dignity and corporations into its business, therefore, the party nominate the senior members of parliament as member. Whip of the parliament will take nominate name of the parties and the list of name will send to the chief whip. Chief whip will negotiate with other parliamentary party to provide members in committee in concern of the leader of the house. After confirmation of the members, chief Whip will present the name of member and name of committee in house to take approval from the house. The parties nominate the members considering political experience, willing and also comprising political constituent area of the country.

Majority party system membership of

committees is harmful of democratic system. A few cases are seen where opposition parliamentary party has representative in committee and though major party askes for member from opposition, 33 | P a g e

there arises chaos. Speaker of the parliament stands in there and ordered to solve the problem and may have opposition member in committee. Now a-days it is seen that a seat for opposition remain vacant, whenever the opposition party think to provide representative, it could fill up. 4.12. Chairman of Committee: ROP of parliament of Bangladesh only says the qualification of chairman, tenure and power of the chairman but there is no indication about who will be the chairman. This is why majority party of the parliament holds the chair. Opposition parliamentary party member could not place in chair only one case is seen till today in JS committee. But, in other democratic country, a proportion of chairman of committee will come from other parliamentary party. As a result, democratic practices are in wrong from the central house of Bangladesh. 4.13. Main Functions of Committee: The major functions of the committees are: 

Examine draft bill or other legislative functions if referred from house



Review works of related ministry



Inquiry into any activity, irregularities or major complains of respective ministry



Examine any matter of its jurisdiction



Review the enforcement of laws and propose measures of such enforcement.



Enforcing attendance of witnesses and examine them an oath, affirmation or otherwise



Compelling the production of documents

4.14. Administrative Structure and Services to Committee system: The parliamentary secretariat of Bangladesh plays significant role to function committee system. The secretariat follows all rules and procedures of administration and guides the nominated or elected parliaments members. The administration has appointed employees, a secretary of the parliament posted in head and other staff. The secretary will be the ex-officio secretary of committee. There is other supporting staff who serves in the cabinet, house and other ministry and also in the committees. The chairman of committee could appoint a support staff for his office who would be from his choice. The activities of the parliamentary secretariat

The bill which is passed by the parliament that makes gazette



Formally attend in meeting when speaker is the chairman of a committee



Notice prepare and circulation to respective committee members or to them as suggested by the committee



Meeting house ready for sitting and circulate meeting notice to the committee members

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

If a standing committee does not sit in meeting, if speaker asked to call a meeting than the secretary call for meeting of the ministerial committee.

    

Supports the committee members with rule or procedure as because the members of the committee come from parliament who have not pre-knowledge about Develops report suggested a bill or any by committee to present in the house Summon a person if the committee required through speaker of the parliament Manage records and documentation Attend other meeting as suggested by the chairman of committee

4.15. Political Parties: It is very important to discuss practices of political parties of Bangladesh. The behavior of the party system will contribute in parliamentary party. Very seen major political parties of Bangladesh who have experiences to build parliament, their practices are not democratic by nature. Each political party has their own constitution. According their constitution, president/ chairman, General Secretary or other important position of the parities will be elect by national council of the parties. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) president will be elected by a fair electing system through a national council. But, after death of President Major Ziaur Rahman, Begum Khalada Zia became the chief President 1983 and letter 1984 became president of the parity. After a long math, no council had of the party and the president position remain to her hand. Other hand, Bangladesh Awami League (AL) regularly sits for council but the position of the chairman remains Sekh Hashina as because no one could compete with her from the parties’ presidium members. But, the AL constitution has clear code to elect a chairman from party members. Jatiya Party one of the major party which has also a constitution but no member will enjoy any right to select their party chairman, rather president holds power to choose a member or exclude a member from party. The feature of the parities show that the chairman of the parties enjoys an autocratic authority and power inside party. The high bench of the parties is controlled by the party chief and nobody could go against the decision of the leader. The major decisions come from the leader. In election process for national parliamentary election, the party men possess lobbing with the high commanding channel of the party to get nomination for constituency MP poll. The parties have an electoral mechanism for performing election where the bench will get decision headed by the party leader. But, the law code of the party has not fictional application, where money become the matter of nomination. And the chair takes final decision. Then the body arises as the approval authority. The party’s constitution confirms that, if any of the member of the party could debate the decision of the chief sentence then he/ she will be excluded from party. So, the sovereignty of the party chief breaks down the democratic system and they become knowledge about autocracy. The nature of pure politician become violet. Very seen that, a businessman become MP or gets nomination for poll for a big amount of donation to the party or a high government service holder who has just got retried form job gets a political mended and the 35 | P a g e

political violence and political merit goes into loo and so on miss politicization of the parties is the great curse for national will. Such mal practices are seen in parliament. When a party becomes government party, the chairman of the party holds all disciplinary power and authority. He/she choices the party men for parliamentary role. The chief knows about skills and knowledges and other potentialities about his/her men and he appoint them in different parliamentary responsibilities. The front bench of legislature is the major decision maker of the government, the members also selected by the parliament house leader. Accordingly, the members of the parliamentary committees are selected by him/ her. The party’s constitution clears that nobody could deny the selection by the chairman, when she/ he proposes responsibility and duty to the party man and if that, the chairman of the party will take final decision about the member. Such examples are cited in Jatiyo Sangshad. The whip and chief whip play deputy role of the leader. He/ she does as the leader placed the nomination of the members. Bangladesh constitution article 70 (1) (b) gives clear authority to disqualify a member if he restraint from giving vote favor the party that means no men could go against the party decision. Therefore, party members do not share their views freely. So, parliamentary party system suffers much. Party leader highly intense to party’s political manifesto, commitment & will and mostly checks senior of the party men to distributes the positions. As a result, there is a remarkable absence of educated person in parliament. The president of Bangladesh recently argues and predicts that a low portion of law makers are from law background. It should be increased for future betterment of Bangladesh. Above discussion revealed that political parties in Bangladesh though provided democratic principles in their constitutions regarding the selection of party leadership, these are not practice properly. Top brass party leaders were either appointed or nominated by the party chiefs from their trusted ministers and members of the parliament. Similarly, parliamentary positions were distributed to the trusted and loyal members. The analysis presented above shows that personal choice, loyalty and satisfaction of the party chief played important role in making appointments of committee members and chairpersons and the committee members were tightly controlled by their party chiefs personally rather than institutional norms. Therefore, in and outside the parliament committee members could hardly say anything about party policy.

4.16. Summary of the chapter Committee system of parliament is a major political practice in democratic environment. It seems as a second strong and decent house of a parliament. The business of the committees works for public will and the major decision for nation. It is the second policy making house which is combination of representative of the people. Legislation is the main house of parliament where public and private bill comes in discussion and in agenda. A common discussion and introduction happens in law 36 | P a g e

making house. But the bill askes very inside investigation and study to make it for the will of people. It belongs with political commitment of political parties. The committees look into a bill technically and make a recommendation if there is needed reframe of the bill. In committee, there would be power party and opposition party member. This is a great dimension of parliament and democracy. But, In Bangladesh parliament acts not such bright way. A very few cases are seen the composition of opposition parties get membership in committee. In ROP and also in constitution, there are no clear rule of committee composition. Another fact is that, all member of committee come from parliamentary party. The members are also nominated by the leader of legislature. As a result, the will of the leader turns the will of the committee member. No member could raise or make a question of any bill or could go against. Article 70 of the constitution of Bangladesh says that if a member of parliament vote against the will of parliamentary party, the member may exclude from party if the leader thinks so. Such constitutional code application is in past history of Jatiya Sangshad. The committee system of Bangladesh is similar to French Parliamentary Committee system. Financial expenditure, executive projection and expenditure review and recommendation are also responsibility of committee. Any sectoral bill gets clause by clause study by ministerial committee.

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Chapter: 05

Overview of

8th

and

9th

parliamentary sanding committee

5.1. Introduction: The 8th parliament was completed its five-year tenure from 2001 to 2006. The parliamentary party formed 37 standing committee and 11 select committee. Total 48 parliamentary committees were in 8th parliament. But in 9th parliament there are 53 parliamentary committees in the tenure of 2009 to 2013. The committees were formed as per ROP of JS. In 9th parliament there was 40 Ministerial Standing Committee, 11 Selected Committee, 1 Special Committee for Constitutional Amendment which was abolished. There were 183 Sub Committees. In 8th parliament only 5 committees were formed in first session of house but in 9th parliament all committee were formed. Below table shows the committees: 5.2. 9th Parliamentary Committee:

Sl

1 2 3 4

Name of Committees

Business Advisory Committee (BAC) Private Member Bill and Resolution (PMBR) Selected Committee on Bill (SCB) Petition Committee (PC)

(Table-02) Member as per ROP

#of Committee 8th 9th parliament parliament

# of Sub Committees 8th 9th parliament parliament

15

1

1

0

0

10

1

0

0

0

10

1

1

0

0

10

1

1

0

0

5

Standing Committee on Public Account (SCPA)

15

1

1

0

0

6

Committee on Estimate (CE)

10

1

1

0

0

7

Committee of Public Undertake (PUC)

10

1

1

0

0

8

Standing Committee of Privileges (SCP)

10

1

1

0

0

9

Committee on Government Assurance (CGA)

10

1

1

0

0

10

Standing Committee on Certain Other Subject

10

1

1

0

0

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

House Committee (HC) Library Committee (LC) Ministerial Standing Committee Agriculture Civil Aviation Commerce Communication Culture

12 9 10 10 10 10 10 10

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 0 3 3 7 7 5 5

0 0 15 5 4 3 8 4

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Sl

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

Name of Committees

Defense Education Environment & Forestry Establishment Expatriate Welfare Finance Fisheries & Livestock Food Flood & Disaster Management Foreign Affairs Health Home Housing & Works Hill Track Information Industry Labor and Manpower Land Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Liberation War LGRD Planning Primary & Mass education Post & Telecommunication Power & Energy Religious Affairs Rail Science & ICT Shipping Social Welfare Textile & Jute Water Resource Women & Children Youth & Sports Food and Disaster Management (Abolished) Special Committee on Constitution amendment (Abolished) Total

Member as per ROP

#of Committee 8th 9th parliament parliament

# of Sub Committees 8th 9th parliament parliament

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

4 0 1 9 2 1 0 2 0 0 1 5 2 0 4 1 7 1 4 0 2 2 0 1 6 5 0 1 1 2 2 2 4 3

0 12 4 3 5 1 5 0 2 0 8 3 9 0 3 6 5 6 5 5 4 1 2 5 6 3 1 5 11 3 5 4 5 7

10

0

1

0

0

10

0

1

0

0

541

48

53

106

183

[Data Sources: The Parliamentary Committee System in Bangladesh An Analysis of its Functioning, K.M. Mahiuddin and Transparency International Bangladesh.]

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5.3. Professional background of committee background: Professional background is a remarkable fact of committee members. Because most of the politician of Bangladesh comes from different profession and try to build their interest within govt. He/s does not get ministry than 2nd policy making way is Committee. Mostly business or industrial merchant inherited in politics and elected parliamentary member. Rather social composition of member of parliament also a challenge in parliamentary system. In seventh parliament, there were 48% Businessmen & Industrialists in committee, 8th parliament 58% and in 9th parliament 57%. Law Maker is 17%, 11% & 14%, Land Lord 7% 4% & 7% and other professional is 7%, 2% & 1%. The data show that politician’s presence is very few in committees in parliament.

60% 50%

48%

70%

58% 57%

% of Members Occupation

7% 4% 7%

7% 2% 1%

10%

2% 3% 3%

6% 5% 3%

20%

4% 7% 6%

17% 11% 14%

30%

9% 11% 9%

40%

Politics

Landlords

Others

0% Businessmen Former Army Former Civil & Officers Servants Industrialists

Lawyers

7th

Doctors, Eng., Journalists 8th

9th

Chart-01.

Observing that in 8th parliament Businessmen & Industrialist were nominated in Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitations 9 members, Ministry of Commerce 8 and Public Account Committee 8 members. According above data, it is

5.4. Female participation: In Indian, Canada, Germany, USA and UK parliamentary committee members have propositional member whom are women. Gender mainstreaming and equality and equity are major concern in parliamentary business. In parliament website, there are special page on Empower Women. In Bangladesh, Parliamentary Committee Member selection, there is not specific ROP act or normative distribution or nomination of women. In 8th parliament, no women were nominated as committee member. In 9th parliament 28 women members in 17 committees. Out of six committees, 4 women were nominated as chairman. It is remarkable that; 3 women chairmen were from main opposition parliamentary party. Overall 10% female participation in committee in 9th parliament. It is remarkable

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that, in 9th parliament female participation both legislature and ministry were more than 8th, 7th and 5th parliament. Average 59% of women member attendee was in committee meeting. 5.5. Women Participation in 9th Parliament: Sl 1 2 3 5

# of Committee 3 2 1 11 Total Committee- 17

(Table: 03) # of Member 2 3 5 1

Total 6 6 5 11 Total Member- 28

Table-02 [Data Sources: Transparency International Bangladesh.]

5.6. Committee Business: In 8th parliament, there were 982 meetings of the committees and 705 sub-committee meetings were held. In 9th parliament 2043 meetings were held of 53 committees and 650 sub-committee meetings were held where Public Account Committee had highest sitting 132 times. 13 committees had one meetings in every month. In 9th parliament 59% of member attendance were ensured in committee meeting where Primary and Mass Education Committee had highest 92% attendance. A comparative data presentation is shown of 7th and 8th parliaments Estimate, Public Accounts Committee and Public Under Taking Committee’s status. According to TIB

(9th Parliament)

Parliamentary Watch Review of 9th parliament, there were 4935 decision were taken by the committees and

26%

only 1787 decisions were implemented. Highest achievement earned Library Committee. The committee 74%

had taken 79 decisions and implemented 63 decisions which is 79.75% and Land ministry had only 1.14% decisions implemented. No record found 23 committee by a study of TIB.

Decisions

Achieved

(Chart-02)

In 8th parliament, 4 standing

committees taken 925 decisions but had no implementation of the decisions. TIB shows a study that in 9th parliament Public Accounts Committee had 6740 objections and 4113 objections were mitigated. Ministry of Housing & Public Works taken 357 decisions and implemented only 38%. The Committee of Government Assurance implemented 64% statements and Ministers 32% commitments. The data indicates that sittings of committee taken decisions to implement, but the respective ministry or department does not implement the decisions accordingly. If there is any disagree at the decision than the respective minister shall write a petition mentioning the causes of disagree. But till the 9th parliament even in 10th parliament such records or evidence does not have the parliament.

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5.7. Committee Report: According to ROP 208, A Committee may, if it thinks fit, make a special report on any matter that arises or comes to light in the course of its work & the committee Reports may be either preliminary or final as says ROP 209 (2). The 8th Jatiya Sangshad Ministerial Standing Committee submitted 34 reports while 9th JS 45 committees submitted 101 reports. It is very alarming stage of report by the committee. ROP 208 and 209 clearly define and state that the committee shall report as a regular and special. But, most of the committees does not prepare and submit their reports. Considering 8 th and 9th parliament reporting status, it is assumed that the situation is being increase gradually. 5.8. Comparative study Observing the above data (Table-01 & 02 and Chart-01 & 02) it is observed that, committee system in JS is not functioning properly. Parliamentary committee was first introduced in 1st parliament of JS. But after 1975, the JS was not acted as democratic. Military administration destroyed the political system in Bangladesh and destroyed the parliamentary function also. As a result, politicalizing and political development is still a crying matter. After 1991, the shape of parliamentary democracy sited in new shape and committee system were need by constitutionally and for better product by political parties. Three successful parliament has completed five years’ tenure. The 5th 7th, 8th and 9th parliaments are milestone of political change. 8th parliament, committee systems were not focused and activity based as there were non-functioning committees. As per ROP, in first sitting of the legislature, the committees shall be formed. In 9th parliament, all committees were formed. In 8th parliament, opposition parliamentary partly member did not involve in committee even chairman. In 9th parliament was a remarkable evidence in advance of democracy. Three opposition party man chaired in committees and in member. But, in Public Account Committee, Estimate Committee and other more important committee of government had no opposition member in committee even in chair. It would be more accountable and transparent government. In 7th parliament had one special committee, 8th parliament had not special committee but in 9th parliament had one special committee. In 8th parliamentary committee meeting data shows irregular committee meeting, but 9th parliament was better than 8th parliament. In 9th parliament 60% Ruling party men were present in parliamentary committee meeting, 3% opposition parliamentary party men and 10% of female attendance which is poor figure and status of committee performance. There was a common character of committees that, they could not take and sit with experts, civil society, media or elite to get concern or review any bill. Even there had not any public opinion taking practices by the parliamentary committees.

5.9. Comparison with Other Countries The parliamentary committees are used in a positive manner in developed democracies including the United Kingdom. In the UK and neighboring India, the members and chairs of committees are 42 | P a g e

selected in conformity with proportionate representation of different parties in the parliament. The ministers are not made chairs or members of relevant committees. In both the countries, there is a timeframe for replying to the recommendations of the committees by concerned divisions/ ministries and the recommendations are considered with utmost importance. In the UK, the deliberations of committees are broadcast live. Directives are issued on behalf of ministries in case of summons and testimonies. The committees can oversee appointments to top levels of the government. Furthermore, in both countries, committees of concerned departments/ministries are involved in reviewing the finance bill. Besides, there is a separate committee for evaluating the effectiveness of committees and for overseeing the activities during the interim period between two governments. 5.10. Criticism: There is a perception that the committees lack independence from the influence of the major Parties, and that committee decisions are guided by the party-political allegiances of their members, rather than objective assessments in the best interests of the community. This comes about from the method of appointment of committee members, reflecting the relative position of the political parties in the two houses. In my view, it could mention that legal limitations (jurisdiction, formation, participation, represent, Conflict of interest in committees, Party influence, Dependent, Accountability) of the government not ensured. Observing and reading all legal framework and documents of Committee system, in my view, I found few gaps in SJ Parliamentary Committee structure. Such as

ROP does not define clearly about member nomination in committee composition from opposition party.



No any specific rule for women participation in committee



In consistency rule in ROP. Rule 188 (2) says, nominate member of committee whenever select as minister of any ministry, the member will be excluding form committee and from chair of committee. ROP 247 gives access the minister in meeting in respect department as a result the independence of the select committee and its functions being manipulate. Before 1997, the minister was the ex-officio of ministerial committee. Though in 1997, the rule was amendment technically inclusion of minister in committee mitting, is not justified.



Decisions taken committees are not implemented by the respective ministry or department. As a result, transparency and accountability of the parliament and government is questionable. If the ministry or department has any objection on decision to implement, then the respective ministry or institution would have writing petition to the house speaker. But, such evidences are not found. So, ROP should have specific rule for punishment to dally implementation as India or Austrian committee system.

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

Amendment of ROP 1997, required that the annual reports of the CAG be routed to the president through the Prime Minister’s office. This is likely to have some negative consequences; in particular, this risks making the CAG vulnerable to pressure and influence of the executive.



There is relatively little scope for the parliament to exercise control over the planning of public expenditure; the only committee that can have some impact, the PEC, remains disadvantaged for a number of reasons. What is needed most is to devise mechanisms to ensure that the time allocated for deliberating over financial issues is spent in a productive and meaningful manner.



No access of technical expert, media, civil society, elite in committee meeting or not any special arrangement taking public opinion for a bill, or publication in parliamentary website to get public opinion like Austrian parliament. TIB reported in 9th parliament only 10 Committees (Fishery and Livestock, Agriculture, Labor and Manpower, Social Welfare, Education, Power and energy, Liberation, Law, Legislation and Judiciary, Government Assurance and Commerce) conducted public hearing.



Improper documentation and data management of parliamentary committee.



Committees page of Parliamentary website is not well achieved with documents and information. There is relatively little scope for the parliament to exercise control over the planning of public expenditure; the only committee that can have some impact, the PEC, remains disadvantaged for a number of reasons. What is needed most is to devise mechanisms to ensure that the time allocated for deliberating over financial issues is spent in a productive and meaningful manner. Most of the previous committee members are from business man and industrialist. A study conducted by TIB shows, in 9th parliament 20 committees member had personal interest (shipping, transport and communication, garments, jut and business). and 10 committee men had And committee member’s education background is not considered by the parties. Committee members and activities are influenced and controlled by Parliamentary Party under the article 70 (b).







5.11. Lesson Learnt and Recommendation 1. The committees must be empowered to enforce the presence of witnesses, submission of testimonies and documents by enacting law in accordance with Article 76 (3) of the Constitution. 2. The following changes must be brought about by amending the Parliamentary Rules of

Procedure:  Provisions should be made for complete verification of information on conflict of interest during selection of committee members, and for expelling a member from a committee if any information is obtained on the involvement of his business-interest in the committee after his inclusion in the committee. 44 | P a g e



         

      

    

Provision should be made for compulsory updating of information about the business and financial involvement of committee chairpersons and members each year, which should be made public. Committee shall arrange the opportunities for expert, civil society, media or elite in terms revision of a bill for public or such arrangement to get public opinion. The post of vice-chairperson must be introduced in the committees. The chairs in at least 50% of the committees, at least in finance-related committees, must be appointed from the opposition parties. Provision should be introduced for appointing chairpersons and members from females in proportion to their representation in parliament. The Finance Bill must be referred to the Committee on Estimates for detailed examination. Committee discussions must be generally broadcast live through Sangshad Television with the exception of important deliberations on sensitive subjects like national security. The approval process for condoning absence of members in committee meetings must be made formal. The annual calendar of each committee must be published at the start of the year specifying the dates and times of their activities in each month. A Liaison committee must be formed for annual evaluation of committees and for strengthening coordination between all committees. Actions taken by a ministry in the light of committee recommendations must be notified to the committee in written within three months of holding a meeting and this should be made mandatory by provision. The minutes of committee meetings must be released within two weeks of holding a meeting and the complete annual report must be published each year in the website of parliament. Indicator based reporting format for the committees. Public involvement should be increased in the programs of the committees (public hearings, appointment of experts, etc.). Reports containing specific information on discussions and decisions of the previous meetings based on sufficient data and facts should be prepared and supplied by the committee section to the chairperson and members for taking preparation before meeting. Enacting article 77, establishment of the office of Ombudsman. Amendment ROP 247 (4-6). Minister or Deputy Minister shall present in ministry committee meeting which is contradiction with ROP 188 (2). Committee term will be function till the new committee formed. It should be amended of 189 (1), (the Term of office of a Committee shall be valid during the duration of the Parliament) because, the previous committee will share their experiences to the new committee view functional business. There should include the specific rule or sub rule in ROP 202 (1) referring ways to summon. As because if a committee asked to call in an honorable person like president, prime minister, chef justice or anyone, the person will not call at the committee quorum or room. Functioning Petition Committee. Nomination of committee member should be considered on experience, political view, educational background, personal interest, opposition party etc. Committee should not void by the political will of the parliamentary party. Urgent measures be taken to ensure that each committee receive at least a minimum level of facilities such as computer and photocopiers so that the output of whatever minimum staff support is now available can be maximized

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       

It is recommended that a committee of committees, to be called Liaison Committee, be set up with the Speaker as the Chairman, and the chairmen of all committees as members, to coordinate the activities of different committees. Parliament website of Jatiay Sangsad should be developed with proper documents. Specially committee page has not enough information of previous committees and also the current committee meeting schedule, minutes, reports and others. It is highly recommended that, ROP should be amended and include special portion for women participation. Law professional would be more priority to nominate in committee member. Priority giving on private bill Committees should be independent; shall not influence of house leader. A Religious minority, tribal/ ethnic group selected committee should be developed amending ROP Support Committee for physically impaired men.

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Chapter:06

Summary and conclusion In this globalization world, a comparative parliamentary democracy is widely discussed. The government of people that is formed through an electoral process sending representative in legislation to make law and rules by the people or citizen, the important element of a country. The government forming system is ideally acceptable around the world which is called the government for the people. Parliament is an institution where the member or people of the house practice or formularize may decisions and steps through systematic process where the will of citizen inlays. In this scientific work, I try to discuss about an interesting and essential subject of parliament which is very important in democratic practice and establishment. Parliamentary Committee is a small house of parliament which is essential part of legislature. Today’s legislature shall not move an inch without committees. In this work, finally there is the explanation about performing role of parliamentary committees in a country where the political institutions, at least partly, have been imposed from outside rather than being fully indigenous. In the history of Bangladesh parliament, we found marinization had been started from British India. Then the parliamentary system and its committee system was Westminster style. After the independence of Pakistan, under colonial regime, Bangladesh faced parliamentary struggle. After the independence of Bangladesh, the parliamentary system of the government was introduced to fulfill the aspirations of the people. The Constitution of Bangladesh came to effect on 16 December, 1972. Though the Constitution vested all legislative power to the parliament, officially named Jatiyo Sangshad, under a Westminster style of democracy, it could not function successfully in post-liberation period. It is important to note here that successful functioning of parliamentary democracy depends upon certain conditions, such as consensus among the competitive political parties, presence of democratic norms and values within the party structure, peaceful transfer of power and responsibility equally by the government and opposition party. In a sweeping change, Bangladesh came under the military rule by a bloody coup on August 15, 1975 and remained under military dominated civil-military regimes until 1990. In the post-colonial states where democracy was broken down by military intervention, parliaments were either abolished or suspended. Between 1975 and 1990, three parliaments had been formed to civilianize the military regime. Under a presidential form of government, they had a record of poor performance in holding the government accountable to the parliament. There was a new beginning since the reintroduction of the parliamentary system of the government in 1991. And the present parliamentary party compression is working actively with a democratic mentality though there more criticism by political scientist. According to the ROP, the committee shall scrutiny legislative proposals and monitoring activities of the executive departments. Theoretically the committees have no grand authority to propose a bill or to rewrite a bill, the only allow to move amendments on every proposal. But, very few bills have 47 | P a g e

amended getting committee recommendation. Without scrutinizing by committee, many bills have passed in house. Most of the bills have disagreement by the opposition parliamentary parties. Present experiences are, though bills are referred to the committees but, the committees are not getting enough time to scrutiny the bills and prepare recommendation or report. The main fact is, most of the committees are formed by leader of house, the chief of parliamentary party, the decision of the party is the decision of the committee, not to disagree with the proposals made. In developed countries, legislative compromise takes place in the committees. Again, most of the bills passed in the JS were government bills. The Private Member’s Bills tabled in the House were dropped at the various level of legislation process. A large number of bills moved by the private members were dropped at various level of the legislation process. Following shortcomings are identified regarding the process of private members bills- the Private Members’ Bills Committee usually took a long time for scrutinizing the bills; secondly the PMBR committee did not submit its report in due time; thirdly, the bills those were referred back to the House with a report, were not introduced to the House; fourthly, most of the members did not have expertise in making a legislative proposal properly. Decisions taken by the committees are not implemented within parliamentary period. In a view, it is easily assumed that, there is not strong rules to look into the matters and strong punishment rule which is a back lodge of parliament that should be minimized by amending and incorporate the rule of punishment. Not only that, regularize meeting and participant’s attendance also. To make parliamentary committees functional for creating a strong house of legislature, it should be amendment in article of constitution and enacted. ROP should be amendment considering previous recommendations. It is especially recommended that; Private bills should not ignore and will give proper time to discussion in house and the private committee should take care of the private or beshorkary bill. Good Governance is a corner stone of modern development and developing world in development discourse. Parliament and Government are the chief agent of Good Governance. Democratic practices, transparency and accountability are the hart of Good Governance. To bring accountability and transparency ensuring democracy, parliamentary committees should be independent in its business as framework. Political party, media, elite, civil society, bureaucracy are the agent of a potential parliament. In JS, parliamentary committees are not activated independently by ruling party where no introduction of merit of the nation. In the developed countries, parliamentary committees are more structural and the nominative political environment is developed by such culture. There is a great recommendation on JS parliamentary committee’s activities that, the ruling party does not consider opposition parties nominating members in committees thus, the committees are becoming a formal beauty of the parliament, but real output is one partisan. Few very important parliamentary committees like Public Account Committee, Estimate Committee, Governments 48 | P a g e

Assurance committee are not acted according the ROP says and the chairs of the committees are filed with a choice person of the leader of legislature. If such committee’s chairs are filled by opposition parties senior party men and member of parliament would more realistic and accountability of the committees would be ensured more. And JS will get expected output. Though the committee meetings, in principle, were not open to the public, the media played a major role in communicating committee activities and their weakness to the public. The media particularly the print media provided with an incentive for the committees to oversee government activities. On the one hand, they highlighted the misgivings of government departments and on the other hand, they took the committees close to the people. The public exclusively depended on the print media to know the committee activities because the parliament did not provide with necessary information about an ongoing committee work in their website home page and in the bulletins, the newsletters and the monographs that were published by the committees. Including the committee reports, information materials were not circulated to the public. The media also highlighted the wrongdoing of the committee members. The present study cited several examples from the reports published in the national dailies. These reports showed the nature of wrongdoing of the parliamentary bodies. Along with the media, civil society organizations for some years had raised their voices for strengthening the parliamentary committees. Observing the previous data and records of parliamentary committee’s activity and proceeding, gradually the committees are being important elements of JS and the political parties are giving more emphasize on the committees. If we see the 8th and 9th parliaments data, in different actors are excellent and few are very low. After military intervention in power, the stapled process had rejoiced in 1991. Afterwards, different amendment view impotency of a rule inclusion or exclusion or rearrange had happed. Different parliamentary development project and experts are supporting JS with knowledge and technics. World Bank Group, UNDP and other international organization and agencies supported JS to improve its quality and making a real democracy practices and to make the SJ as a business for the will of its Citizens. Transparency International Bangladesh regularly monitors and produces report on parliamentary activity focusing on weakness, causes of the parliament and the way forward to achieve the weakness. TIB coded few quotes by parliament experts and politicians. Few of them- “No attention to the committee recommendation by the government, where is the value of committee’s recommendation”- a chairman of committee. “Recommendation of committee is not a real political matter, this is a formal formation in terms of parliamentary business” A committee Member. “Committee has no effectiveness in parliamentary business. No ministries are bound to implement the decisions of the committees” A committee member.

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A parliament expert, “The chairman of a committee is bound to take decisions advised by the leader of the legislature, no influence of a chairman’s recommendation. As a result, transparency and accountability of the parliament is not ensured”. Another Parliament Expert, “Every decisions and doings in parliament are depended on will of Prime Minister’s will and directions. The committees motion is to ensure legal status of parliament”. “All powers which are vested in hand of legislature leader by the article of constitution is a barrier of democracy” a member of Committee. “Oure political culture is not favorable to make functional parliamentary committees activity. All supreme parliamentary decision making authority belongs to the prime minister, the committees do not go against what is thought by the prime minister. Such case has not found in previous parliament”, a committee member.

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Annexure: 01 Important Glossary: Ad-hoc: made or happening only for a particular purpose or need, not planned before it happens. (Cambridge Dictionary). In parliamentary committee formation, there is a provision and opportunity to make ad hoc committee to review an important bill rigorously. Amendment: a change to a law that is not yet in operation and is still being discussed (Cambridge Dictionary). In democratic or parliamentary government system in a country, in terms of situation and changing environment of political will, the government brings amendment of constitution. Bangladesh constitution is amended 16 times after its introduction after liberation of 1971. Bundestag: a constitutional and legislative body at the federal level in Germany. This is the central governmental operating institution of Garganey like Bangladesh Jatiya Sangshad. Charter: A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. In 1853 power delegation from Est India Company to Crown of sub-continent of Indian. The Magna Carta is called the first statement of the world of democracy was signed in 1215. Colonial: Colonialism is the establishment of a colony in one territory by a political power from another territory, and the subsequent maintenance, expansion, and exploitation of that colony. The term is also used to describe a set of unequal relationships between the colonial power and the colony and often between the colonists and the indigenous peoples Committee: a small group of people chosen to represent a larger organization and either make decisions or collect information for it. (Cambridge Dictionary). The committee system is an ancient system in politics. In the age of political development of the world, the shape and framework of committee turned into different style. At present, parliamentary committee system is a most acceptable parliamentary business to ensure transparency and accountability of parliament. Bangladesh legislature has a framework of parliamentary committee system and practices to institutionalized democracy. Constitution: Constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. Philosopher Aristotle stated, “The way of life the state has chosen for itself”. Every country has a constitution. Bangladesh has a constitution that has 153 article, 11 Parts and 4 schedules. A constitution should be Flexible or Rigid and Unwritten and Written. Civil Society: Civil Society is often populated by organized groups and institutions that are independent of the state such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), professionals, academia, social and religious groups. It may be defined as ‘people coming together around a common concern, a concern which is linked to the values of the wider society, and insisting that the major institutions--the state, political parties, and business take these values into consideration. It compasses in a wide range of activities to achieve economic, cultural, educational, and developmental goals. He observed that it is concerned with public rather than private ends and relates to the state not to gain formal power but rather ‘to seek from the state concessions, benefits, policy changes, relief, redress, or accountability’. Democracy: is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. Abraham Lincoln, defines democracy as a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”. Britain is called the mother of Democracy and America is called father of Democracy. The modern world Democracy is the best way of government and chosen by most of the countries. East India Company: The East India Company (EIC), also known as the Honorable East India Company (HEIC) or the British East India Company and informally as John Company, was an English and later British joint-stock company, which was formed to pursue trade with the East Indies but ended up trading mainly with 51 | P a g e

the Indian subcontinent and Qing China. The company originally got charter as Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies to trade over the world silk, cotton, indigo, salt, dye, opium etc. In 31 December 1600, the company got Royal Charter from queen Elizabeth. The British government did not get any share from the company just indirectly controlled over the company. The company started its first voyage in Asia and in India in 1601. Eventually, the company downed the sun of Bangle and India in a betel of Plassey. The Colonel Robert Clive, a very cunning leader formulated sultanate conspiracy between two brothers in relation Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah and Mir-Zafar. In 1757, only 3000 solders of Col. Clive were fought against 50,000 soldiers, 40 canons and 10 war elephants of Nawab on 23 June, 1757. The war was only 11 hours. According the war agreement, Mir-Zafar got the kingdom with a little tax payment by Company. But, unskilled Zafar was defeated by Clive 1758. The rule of India Sub-continent coped by company and 1853 a charter was with British King to hand over the power. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company) Executive: Branch of government that has authority and responsibility for the daily administration of state bureaucracy. The president of Bangladesh is the head of Executive. Ex-Officio: By virtue of office or position; "by right of office". Often used when someone holds one position by virtue of holding another. This is a Latin Phrase. Ex: President is the ex-officio chairman of Business Assurance Committee in legislature. Government: is the system by which a state or community is controlled. Government encompasses Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Good Governance: Good Governance is a process of decision making and the process by which decisions are implemented. The present exclusive world in the era of globalization, good governance is vestly discussed in development and political studies. Imperialism: It is a political theory where a country (usually an empire or kingdom) extends its power by acquisition of territories. It may also include the exploitation of those territories which is similar to colonialism which is generally regarded as an expression of imperialism. Jatiya Sangshad: Jatiyo Sangshad (the Parliament House) often referred to simply as the Sangsad or JS and also known as the House of the Nation, is the supreme legislative body of Bangladesh. Judiciary: is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. Legislature: A legislature is a deliberative assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. Legislatures form important parts of most governments; in the separation of powers model, they are often contrasted with the executive and judicial branches of government. Lok Sabha: The Federal Parliamentary House of India. Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of the people chosen by direct election on the basis of the adult suffrage. Martial law: is the imposition of the highest-ranking military officer as the military governor or as the head of the government, thus removing all power from the previous executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. It is usually imposed temporarily when the government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively. Military Cope: is the illegal and overt seizure of a state by the military or other elites within the state apparatus Mughal: was an empire in the Indian subcontinent, established and ruled by a Muslim dynasty of Chagatai Turco-Mongol origin from Central Asia. The dynasty though ethnically Turco-Mongol, was Persianate in terms of culture Panchayat: is a South Asian political system found mainly in the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent. 52 | P a g e

Private Bill: A private member's bill in a parliamentary system of government is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch Public Bill: a public bill is a bill which proposes a law of general application throughout the jurisdiction in which it is proposed, and which if enacted will hence become a public law or public act. Parliament: is a legislative, elected body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government. Rajan: It is a Bangle word which meaning is King. In ancient Bangla in the era of Hindu ruler, the king was known as Rajan. Sabha: It is Bangle word that meaning is like assembly of few people where decisions are made for all. In ancient Hindu rule Sabha was in place. Senate: This is the upper house of United States of America Congress that is composed by senators who represent each of the several states, with each state being equally represented by two senators, regardless of their population, serving staggered terms of six years. As the upper house, the Senate has several powers of advice and consent which are unique to it; of these include the ratification of treaties, the confirmation of Cabinet secretaries, Supreme Court justices, federal judges, other federal executive officials, flag officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, and other federal uniformed officers. In addition to these, in cases wherein no candidate receives a majority of electors for Vice President, the duty befalls upon the Senate to elect one of the top two recipients of electors for that office. It further has the responsibility of conducting trials of those impeached by the House. Sultanate: The empire of Muslim ruler in Sub-continent of India. It is a kingdom where the rule is known as Sultan. Samity: Samity is a committee where few people become together to take a decision. In Hindu rule, it was in place. Sultan: The Muslim ruler who is similar in power of King. Westminster System: The Westminster system is a parliamentary system of government modelled after that which developed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the British parliament. The system is a series of procedures for operating a legislature. It is used, or was once used, in the national legislatures and subnational legislatures of most Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth nations upon being granted responsible government, beginning with the first of the Canadian provinces in 1848 and the six Australian colonies between 1855 and 1890. However, some former colonies have since adopted either the presidential system (Nigeria for example) or a hybrid system (like South Africa) as their form of government. Whip: Whips are key agents appointed by both the government and the opposition to ensure party discipline in legislature. The role of the whip is basically to ensure the presence of the MPs when voting takes place. For major votes, both the government and the opposition attempt to maximize turnout and the whip’s job is to ensure this takes place. Other duties of whips include keeping MPs informed about forthcoming parliamentary business, and passing on to the party leadership the opinions of backbenchers and vice versa.

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Annexure: 02 Article 76 of the Bangladesh Constitution: PART V THE LEGISLATURE Chapter I PARLIAMENT Section Index: Standing committees of Parliament: 76. (1) Parliament shall appoint from among its members the following standing committees, that is to say – (a) a public accounts committee; (b) committee of privileges; and (c) such other standing committees as the rules of procedure of Parliament require. (2) In addition to the committees referred to in clause (1), Parliament shall appoint other standing committees, and a committee so appointed may, subject to this Constitution and to any other law (a) examine draft Bills and other legislative proposals; (b) review the enforcement of laws and propose measures for such enforcement; (c) in relation to any matter referred to it by Parliament as a matter of public importance, investigate or inquire into the activities or administration of a Ministry and may require it to furnish, through an authorized representative, relevant information and to answer questions, orally or in writing; (d) perform any other function assigned to it by Parliament. (3) Parliament may by law confer on committees appointed under this article powers for – (a) enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath, affirmation or otherwise; (b)

compelling the production of documents.

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Annexure-03 Rule of Procedure of Bangladesh Parliament: Committees CHAPTER XXVII

Rules Regulating Committees (A) General 187. Committee In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, "Committee" means and includes "Committee" as defined in sub-rule (1) (f) of rule 2. 188. Appointment of Committee (1) The members of a Committee shall be appointed by Parliament on a motion made by it. (2) No member shall be appointed to a Committee who has a personal, pecuniary or direct interest in any matter which may be considered by that Committee. Nor shall a member be appointed to a Committee if he is not willing to serve on it. The proposer shall ascertain whether the member whose name is proposed by him is willing to serve on that Committee. Explanation For the purpose of this sub-rule the interest of the member should be direct, personal or pecuniary and separately belong to the person whose inclusion in the Committee may be objected to and not in common with the public in general or with any class or section thereof or on a matter of State policy.

(3) Casual vacancies in a Committee shall be filled by appointment by the Parliament on a motion made, and any member appointed, to fill such vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the term for which the member in whose place he is appointed, would have normally held office. 189. Term of office of a Committee (1) Subject to the provisions of the Constitution in this behalf, the term of office of a Committee of the House other than a Select Committee on a Bill or a Special Committee constituted by the House for a specific purpose, [shall be valid during the duration of the Parliament]: [Provided that a Committee may be reconstituted by the House, if necessary.] (2) A Committee nominated by the Speaker under these rules shall, unless otherwise specified in the rules contained in this Chapter, hold office for the period specified by him or until a new Committee is nominated. 190. Resignation from Committee A member may resign his seat from a Committee by writing under his hand, addressed to the Speaker. 191. Chairman of Committee (1) The Chairman of a Committee shall, unless designated by the House, be elected by the Committee from amongst the members of that Committee. [(2) If the Chairman ceases to be a member of the Committee, remains absent from any sitting of the Committee or is otherwise unable to perform his duties, the Committee shall choose another member to act as Chairman for that sitting.] 55 | P a g e

192. Quorum (1) The quorum to constitute a sitting of a Committee shall be, as near as may be, one-third of the total number of members of the Committee. (2) If at any time fixed for any sitting of the Committee or if at any time during any such sitting, there is no quorum, the Chairman of the Committee shall either suspend the sitting until there is a quorum or adjourn the sitting to some future day.

(3) When the Committee has been adjourned in pursuance of sub-rule (2) on two successive dates fixed for sittings of the Committee, the Chairman shall report the fact to the House. 193. Discharge of members absent from sittings of Committee If a member is absent from two or more consecutive sittings of a Committee without the permission of the Committee, a motion may be moved in the House for the discharge of such member from the Committee. 194. Voting in Committee All questions at any siting of a Committee shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting. 195. Casting vote of Chairman The case of an equality of votes on any matter, the Chairman, or the person acting as such, shall have a second or casting vote. 196. Power to appoint Sub-Committees (1) A Committee may appoint one or more Sub-Committees, each having the powers of the undivided Committee, to examine any matters that may be referred to them, and the reports of such SubCommittees shall be deemed to be reports of the whole Committee, if they are approved at a sitting of the whole Committee. (2) The order of reference to a Sub-Committee shall clearly state the point or points for investigation. The report of the Sub-Committee shall be considered by the whole Committee. 197. Sittings of Committee The sittings of a Committee shall be held on such days and at such hour as the Chairman of the Committee may fix. Provided that if the Chairman of the Committee is not readily available, the Secretary may fix the date and time of a sitting: Provided further that in the case of Select Committee on a Bill, if the Chairman of the Committee is not readily available, the Secretary may, in consultation with the Minister concerned fix the date and time of a sitting. 198.Committee may sit whilst Parliament is sitting A Committee may sit whilst the Parliament is sitting provided that on a division being called in the House the Chairman of the Committee shall suspend the proceedings in the Committee for such time as will in his opinion enable the members to vote in a division.

199.Sittings of Committee in private The sittings of a Committee shall be held in private. 56 | P a g e

200. Venue of sittings The sittings of a Committee shall be held within the precincts of the House, and if it becomes necessary to change the place of sitting outside the House, the matter shall be referred to the Speaker whose decision shall be final. 201. All strangers to withdraw when Committee deliberates All persons other than members of the Committee and officers of the Parliament Secretariat shall withdraw whenever the Committee is deliberating. 202. Power to take evidence or call for documents (1) A witness may be summoned by an order signed by the Secretary and shall produce such documents as are required for the use of a Committee. (2) It shall be in the discretion of the Committee to treat any evidence given before it as secret or confidential. (3) No document submitted to the Committee shall be withdrawn or altered without the knowledge and approval of the Committee. 203. Power to send for persons, papers and records A Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records: Provided that if any question arises whether the evidence of a person or the production of a document is relevant for the purposes of the Committee, the question shall be referred to the Speaker whose decision shall be final. Provided further that Government may decline to produce a document on the ground that its disclosure would be prejudicial to the safety or interest of the State. 204. Evidence on oath (1) A Committee may administer oath (or affirmation) to a witness examined before it. (2) The form of the oath (or affirmation) shall be as follows: "I, ................................. , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that the evidence which I shall give in this case shall be true, that I will conceal nothing, and that no part of my evidence shall be false". 205. Procedure for examining witnesses The examination of witnesses before a Committee shall be conducted as follows: (i) The Committee shall, before a witness is called for examination, decide the mode of procedure and the nature of questions that may be asked of the witness. (ii) The Chairman may first ask the witness such question or questions as he may consider necessary with reference to the subject-matter under consideration or any subject connected therewith according to the mode of procedure mentioned in clause (i) of this rule. (iii) The Chairman may call other members of the Committee one by one to ask any other questions. (iv) A witness may be asked to place before the Committee any other relevant points that have not been covered and which a witness thinks are essential to be placed before the Committee. (v) A verbatim record of proceedings of the Committee shall, when a witness is summoned to give evidence, be kept. (vi) The evidence given before the Committee may be made available to all members of the Committee. (vi) The evidence given before the Committee may be made available to all members of the Committee. 206. Record of decisions of Committee 57 | P a g e

A record of the decisions of a Committee shall be maintained and circulated to members of the Committee under the direction of the Chairman. 207. Evidence, report and proceedings treated as confidential (1) A Committee may direct that the whole or a part of the evidence or a summary thereof may be laid on the Table. (2) No part of the evidence, oral or written, report or proceedings of a Committee which has not been laid on the Table shall be open to inspection by anyone except under the authority of the Speaker. (3) The evidence given before a Committee shall not be published by any member of the Committee or by any other person until it has been laid on the Table: Provided that the Speaker may, in his discretion, direct that such evidence be confidentially made available to members before it is formally laid on the Table. 208. Special reports A Committee may, if it thinks fit, make a special report on any matter that arises or comes to light in the course of its work which it may consider necessary to bring to the notice of the House, notwithstanding that such matter is not directly connected with, or does not fall within or is not incidental to, its terms of reference. 209. Report of Committee (1) Where the House has not fixed any time for the presentation of the report by a Committee, the report shall be presented within one month of the date on which reference to the Committee was made: Provided that the House may at any time, on a motion being made, direct that the time for the presentation of the report by the Committee be extended to a date specified in the motion. (2) Reports may be either preliminary or final. (3) The report of the Committee shall be signed by the Chairman on behalf of the Committee: Provided that in case the Chairman is absent or is not readily available the Committee shall choose another member to sign the report on behalf of the Committee. 210. Availability of report to Government before presentation A Committee may, if it thinks fit, make available to Government any part of its report before presentation to the House. Such reports shall be treated as confidential until presented to the House. 211. Presentation of report (1) The report of a Committee shall be presented to the House by the Chairman or in his absence by any member of the Committee. (2) In presenting the report the Chairman or in his absence, the member presenting the report shall, if he makes any remarks, confine himself to a brief statement of fact, but there shall be no debate on that statement at this stage. 212. Printing, publication or circulation of report prior to its presentation to House (1) The Speaker may, on a request being made to him and when the House is not in session, order the printing, publication or circulation of a report of a Committee although it has not been presented to the House. In that case the report shall be presented to the House during its next session at the first convenient opportunity.

213. Power to make suggestions on procedure (1) A Committee shall have power to regulate its own procedure. [(2) A committee may obtain co-operation and advice from any expert in its respective field, if deemed necessary.] 58 | P a g e

214. Power of Speaker to give directions If any doubt arises on any point of procedure or otherwise, the Chairman may, if he thinks fit, refer the point to the Speaker whose decision shall be final. 215. Business before Committee not to lapse on prorogation of House Any business pending before a Committee shall not lapse by reason only of the prorogation of the House and the Committee shall continue to function notwithstanding such prorogation. 216. Unfinished work of Committee A Committee which is unable to complete its work before the expiration of its term or before the dissolution of the House may report to the House that the Committee has not been able to complete its work. Any preliminary report, memorandum or note that the committee may have prepared or any evidence that the Committee may have taken shall be made available to the new Committee. 217. Applicability of general rules to Committees Except for matters for which special provision is made in the rules relating to any particular Committee, the general rules in this Chapter shall apply to all Committees; and in so far as any provision in the special provisions relating to a Committee is inconsistent with the general rules, the former rules shall prevail. 218. Secretary to be ex-officio Secretary of Committees or he may authorize any officer (1) The Secretary shall be ex-officio Secretary to every Committee of the Parliament. (2) The Secretary may authorize any officer of the Secretariat to perform such duties as he may direct. (B) Business Advisory Committee 219. Constitution of Business Advisory Committee [The] Speaker may nominate a Committee called the Business Advisory Committee consisting of not more than [fifteen] members including the Speaker who shall be the Chairman of the Committee. 220. Functions of the Committee (1) It shall be the function of the Committee to recommend the time that should be allocated for the discussion of the stage or stages of such Government Bills and other business as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct for being referred to the Committee. (2) The Committee shall have the power to indicate in the proposed timetable the different hours at which the various stages of the Bill or other business shall be completed. (3) The Committee shall have such other functions as may be assigned to it by the Speaker from time to time. Explanation. - The expression 'other business' referred to in this rule means business, other than private members' Bills and private members' Resolutions under these rules. 221. Notification of allocation of Time Order The allocation of time in respect of Bills and other business as may be decided by the Committee, shall be notified in the Bulletin: Provided that the Speaker may, after taking the sense of the House, vary the time-table to such extent as may be considered necessary. (C) Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions 222. Constitution of Committee on Private Members Bills and Resolutions 59 | P a g e

(1) There shall be a Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions consisting of not more than ten members. (2) The Committee shall be appointed by the House on a motion made by it. 223. Functions of the Committee (1) The functions of the Committee shall be(a) to examine every Bill seeking to amend the Constitution notice of which has been given by a private member, before a motion for leave to introduce the Bill is included in the Orders of the Day; (b) to examine all private members' Bills after they are introduced and before they are taken up for consideration in the House and to classify them according to their nature, urgency and importance into two categories namely, category A and category B; (c) to recommend the time that should be allocated for the discussion of the stage or stages of each private members' Bill and also to indicate in the time-table so drawn up the different hours at which the various stages of the Bill in a day shall be completed; (d) to recommend time-limit for the discussion of private members' Resolutions and other ancillary matters. (2) The Committee shall perform such other functions in respect of private members' Bills and Resolutions as may be assigned to it by the House from time to time. 224. Notification of classification and allocation of Time Order The classification of Bills and the allocation of time in respect of Bills and Resolutions as may be decided by the Committee, shall be notified in the Bulletin: Provided that the Speaker may, after taking the sense of the House, vary the time-table to such extend as may be necessary. (D) Select Committees on Bills 225. Constitution of Select Committee The members of a Select Committee on a Bill shall be appointed by the House when a motion that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee is made; Provided that the member-in-charge of the Bill shall be a member of the Committee, even if his name be not included in the motion for constitution of such a Committee: Provided further that a Minister who is not a member of the Committee may, with the permission of the Chairman, address the Committee. 226. Notice of Amendments and procedure generally A member of a Select Committee may propose amendments to any of the provisions of the Bill after giving one days’ notice unless the Chairman allows amendments to be proposed without such notice. 227.Power of Committee to take evidence A Select Committee may hear expert evidence and representatives of special interests affected by the measure before them.

228.Report of the Committee

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(1) As soon as may be, after a Bill has been referred to a Select Committee, the Select Committee shall meet from time to time in accordance with rule 197 to consider the Bill and shall make a report thereon within the time fixed by the House: Provided that where the House has not fixed any time for the presentation of the report by a Select Committee, the report shall be presented before the expiry of three months from the date on which the House adopted the motion for the reference of the Bill to the Select Committee: Provided further that the House may at any time, on a motion being made, direct that the time for the presentation of the report by the Select Committee be extended to a date specified in the motion. (2) The Select Committee shall in their report state whether the publication of the Bill required by these rules has taken place, and the date on which the publication has taken place. (3) Where a Bill has been altered, the Select Committee may, if they think fit, include in their report a recommendation to the member-in-charge of the Bill that his next motion should be a motion for circulation, or, where the Bill has already been circulated, for re-circulation. (4) Any member of the Select Committee may record a minute of dissent on any matter or matters connected with the Bill or dealt with in the report. (5) A minute of dissent shall be couched in temperate and decorous language and shall not refer to any discussion in the Select Committee nor cast aspersion on the Committee. 229. Presentation of report The report of the Select Committee on a Bill together with the minutes of dissent, if any, shall be presented to the House by the Chairman or in his absence by any member of the Committee. 230. Printing and publication of reports The Secretary shall cause every report of a Select Committee to be printed, and a copy of the report shall be made available for the use of every member of the House. The report and the Bill, as reported by the Select Committee, shall be published in the Gazette.

(E) Committee on Petitions 231. Constitution of Committee on Petitions [The] Speaker shall nominate a Committee on petitions consisting of not less than ten members: Provided that a Minister shall not be nominated a member of the Committee, and that if a member, after his nomination to the Committee is appointed a Minister he shall cease to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment. 232. Functions of the Committee (1) The Committee shall examine every petition referred to it, and if the petition complies with these rules, the Committee may direct that it be circulated. Where circulation of the petition has not been directed, the Speaker may at any time direct that the petition be circulated. (2) Circulation of the petition shall be in extensor or in summary form as the Committee or the Speaker, as the case may be, may direct. (3) It shall also be the duty of the Committee to report to the House on specific complaints made in the petition referred to it and to suggest remedial measures in a concrete form.

(F) Standing Committee on Public Accounts 61 | P a g e

233. Functions of Committee on Public Accounts (1) There shall be a Committee on Public Accounts for the examination of accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by the House for the expenditure of the [Government], the annual finance accounts of the 58[Government] and such other accounts laid before the House as the Committee may think fit. [Upon examination of irregularities and lapses of Institutions, the Committee shall report to Parliament with recommendations of remedial measures.] (2) In scrutinizing the Appropriation Accounts of the 2[Government] and the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon, it shall be the duty of the Committee to satisfy itself(a) that the moneys shown in the accounts as having been disbursed were legally available for, and applicable to, the service or purpose to which they have been applied or charged; (b) that the expenditure conforms to the authority which governs it; and (c) that every re-appropriation has been made in accordance with the provisions made in this behalf under rules framed by competent authority. (3) It shall also be the duty of the Committee(a) to examine the statement of accounts showing the income and expenditure of state corporations, trading and manufacturing schemes, concerns and projects together with the balance-sheets and statements of profit and loss accounts which the President may have required to be prepared or are prepared under the provisions of the statutory rules regulating the financing of a particular corporation, trading or manufacturing scheme or concern or project and the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon; (b) to examine the statement of accounts showing the income and expenditure of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, the audit of which may be conducted by the Comptroller and AuditorGeneral of Bangladesh either under the directions of the President or by a statute of Parliament; and (c) to consider the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General in cases where the President may have required him to conduct an audit of any receipts or to examine the accounts of stores and stocks. (4) If any money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted by the House for that purpose, the Committee shall examine with reference to the facts of each case the circumstances leading to such an excess and make such recommendation as it may deem fit. 234.Constitution of the Committee The Committee shall consist of not more than fifteen members who shall be appointed by the House: Provided that a Minister shall not be appointed a member of the Committee, and that if a member, after his appointment to the Committee, is appointed a Minister he shall, cease to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.

(G) Committee on Estimates 62 | P a g e

235. Functions of Committee on Estimates There shall be a Committee on Estimates for the examination of such of the Estimates as may seem fit to the Committee or are specifically referred to it by the House. The functions of the Committee shall be(a) to report what economies, improvements in organization, efficiency or administrative reform, consistent with the policy underlying the estimates, may be effected; (b) to suggest alternative policies in order to bring about efficiency and economy in administration; (c) to examine whether the money is well laid out within the limits of the policy implied in the estimates; and (d) to suggest the form in which the estimates shall be presented to the House. 236. Constitution of the Committee The Committee shall consist of not more than ten members who shall be appointed by the House from amongst to its members: Provided that a Minister shall not be appointed a member of the Committee, and that if a member, after his appointment to the Committee, is appointed a Minister he shall cease to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment. 237. Examinations of Estimates by Committee The Committee may continue the examination of the estimates from time to time throughout the financial year and report to the House as its examination proceeds. It shall not be incumbent on the Committee to examine the entire estimates of any one year. The demands for grants may be finally voted notwithstanding the fact that the Committee has made no report.

(H) Committee on Public Undertakings. 238. Functions of Committee on Public Undertakings There shall be a Committee on Public Undertakings for the examination of the working of the public undertakings specified in Schedule IV. The functions of the Committee shall be(a) to examine the reports and accounts of the public undertakings specified in the Schedule IV; (b) to examine the reports, if any, of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on the public undertakings; (c) to examine, in the context of the autonomy any deficiency of the public undertakings, whether the affairs of the public undertakings are being managed in accordance with sound business principles and prudent commercial practices; [the Committee shall report to Parliament on remedy of irregularities and lapses of the public undertaking and recommend measures to free the institution from corruption and, if considered necessary, a part of its report in this respect may be sent to the Government before the report is placed before Parliament;] and (d) to exercise such other functions vested in the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Estimates in relation to the public undertakings specified in the Schedule IV as are not covered by clauses (a), (b) and (c) above and as may be allotted to the Committee by the Speaker from time to time: Provided that the Committee shall not examine and investigate any of the following, namely: (i) matters of major Government policy as distinct from business or commercial functions of the public undertakings; 63 | P a g e

(ii) matters of day-to-day administration; and (iii) matters for the consideration of which machinery is established by any special statute under which a particular public undertaking is established. 239. Constitution of the Committee The Committee shall consist of not more than ten members who shall be elected by the House: Provided that a Minister shall not be elected a member of the Committee, and that if a member, after his election to the Committee, is appointed a Minister he shall cease to be member of the committee from the date of such appointment.

(I) Standing Committee of Privileges 240. Constitution of Committee of Privileges [At its first session] [the] Parliament shall appoint a Committee of Privileges consisting of not more than ten members. 241.Examination of question by Committee (1) The Committee shall examine every question referred to it and determine with reference to the facts of each case whether a breach of privilege is involved and, if so, the nature of the breach, the circumstances leading to it and make such recommendations as it may deem fit. (2) The report may also state the procedure to be followed by the House in giving effect to the recommendations made by the Committee. 242. Consideration of report After the report, has been presented, the Chairman or any member of the Committee or any other member may move that the report be taken into consideration whereupon the Speaker may put the question to the House. 243. Priority for consideration of report of the Committee A motion that the report of the Committee be taken into consideration shall be accorded the priority assigned to a matter of privilege under rule 167 unless there has been undue delay in bringing it forward: Provided that when a date has already been fixed for the consideration for the report, it shall be given priority as a matter of privilege on the day so appointed.

(J) Committee on Government Assurances 244. Functions of Committee on Government Assurances There shall be a Committee on Government Assurances to scrutinize the assurances, promises, undertakings, etc., given by a Minister, from time to time, on the floor of the House and to report on(a) the extent to which such assurances, promises, undertakings, etc. have been implemented; and (b) where implemented, whether such implementation has taken place within the minimum time necessary for the purpose.

245. Constitution of the Committee The Committee shall consist of not more than eight members who shall be appointed by the House. 64 | P a g e

(K) Standing Committees on certain other subjects [246. Appointment of Committees on certain other subjects Each new Parliament shall, within its third session, appoint the Standing Committees on each Ministries which may, subject to the Constitution and to any other law, (a) examine draft Bills and other legislative proposals; (b) review the enforcement of laws and propose measures for such enforcement; and (c) examine any other matter referred to them by Parliament under Article 76 of the Constitution.] [247. Constitution of the Committee (1) Every Standing Committee, as referred to in Rule 246, shall consist of not more than ten members including the Chairman. (2) Members including the Chairman shall be appointed by the House: Provided that a Minister shall not be the Chairman of the Committee. (3) If a member, after being elected as Chairman under Sub-Rule (2), is appointed as Minister, he shall cease to be the Chairman of the Committee from the date of such appointment. (4) the Minister in-charge or if there is no Minister, the Minister of State or if there is no Minister of State. Deputy Minister of a Ministry shall be the ex-officio member of the Committee provided he is a member of Parliament. (5) Even if the Minister-in-charge or the Minister of State or the Deputy Minister of a Ministry is not a member of Parliament, he may remain present in the meeting of the Committee and take part in the proceedings but shall abstain from voting. (6) If there be no Minister in-Charge or Minister of State or Deputy Minister of a Ministry, the Leader of the House shall nominate a member of the Cabinet to the Standing Committee of such Ministry and if he is a member of Parliament he shall be a member of the Committee and if he is not a member of Parliament, he may remain present in the meeting and take part in its proceedings but shall abstain from voting.] [248. Functions of Committee Each such Standing Committee shall meet at least once in a month and the functions of a Committee shall be to examine any Bill or other matter referred to it by Parliament, to review the works relating to a Ministry which falls within its jurisdiction, to inquire into any activity or irregularity and serious complaint in respect of the Ministry and to examine, if it deems fit, any such other matter as may fall within its jurisdiction and to make recommendations. Provided that if for any reason the meeting of a Committee is not called in accordance with these rules, the Speaker may direct the Secretary to call a meeting of that Committee and the Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Committee at a date, time and place fixed by the Speaker.]

(L) House Committee 249. Constitution of House Committee (1) There shall be a House Committee consisting of not more than twelve members including the Chairman. (2) The Committee shall be nominated by the Speaker. A member may be re-nominated by the Speaker to the new House committee. 250. Functions of the Committee 65 | P a g e

(1) The functions of the House Committee shall be (i) to deal with all questions relating to residential accommodation for members of Parliament; and (ii) to exercise supervision over facilities for accommodation, food, medical aid and other amenities accorded to members in M.P. House in Dacca. (2) The functions of the Committee shall be advisory. 251. Accommodation Sub-Committee (1) There shall also be an Accommodation Sub-Committee consisting of not more than four members including the Chairman of the House Committee who shall be the ex-officio Chairman of the SubCommittee. (2) The members of the Sub-Committee shall be nominated by the Chairman of the House Committee from amongst the members of the House Committee. (3) The quorum to constitute a sitting of the Sub-Committee shall be two. (4) The function of the Sub-Committee shall be to advise on the allotment of residential accommodation to members. 252. Power to appoint Sub-Committee (1) The Committee may appoint one or more Sub-Committees, each having the powers of the undivided committee, to examine any special points relating to residential accommodation, food, medical aid and other amenities in M.P. Houses and the reports of such Sub-Committees shall be deemed to be the reports of the whole committee, if they are approved at a sitting of the whole Committee. (2) The order of reference to a Sub-Committee shall clearly state the point or points for investigation. The report of the Sub-Committee shall be considered by the whole Committee. 253. Secretariat for Committee The Secretariat for the House Committee or its Sub-Committees shall be provided by the Parliament Secretariat. An Officer of the Parliament Secretariat nominated in this behalf by the Secretary of the Parliament shall be the Secretary to the House Committee and the Accommodation Sub-Committee. 254. Record of proceedings and Minutes of Committee (1) A record of the proceedings of the sittings of the House Committee and the Accommodation SubCommittee shall be maintained. (2) The draft minutes shall be prepared by the Secretary to the Committee and approved by the Chairman. (3) The minutes of each sitting shall be circulated to members of the Committee or the SubCommittee, as the case may be. Relevant extracts there from may be forwarded to appropriate authorities for necessary action. 255.Appeal against decision of Committee or Sub-Committee An appeal against the decision of the House Committee or Accommodation Sub-Committee shall lie to the Speaker whose decision shall be final. 256. Provisions applicable in other respects In other respects, the general rules applicable to [other Committees] shall apply with such adaptations, whether by way of modification, addition or omission, as the Speaker may consider necessary or convenient. 66 | P a g e

(M) Library Committee 257. Constitution of Library Committee (1) There shall be a Library Committee consisting of the Deputy Speaker and nine other members from the Parliament nominated by the Speaker. (2) The Deputy Speaker shall be the ex-officio Chairman of the Committee (3) Casual vacancies in the Committee shall be filled by nomination by the Speaker from the members of the Parliament. 258.Functions of the Committee The functions of the Committee shall be (a) to consider and advise on such matters concerning the Library as may be referred to it by the Speaker from time to time; (both consider suggestions for the improvement of the Library; and (c) to assist members of Parliament in fully utilizing the services provided by the Library.

262. Provisions applicable in other respects In other respects, the general rules applicable to other Committees [***] shall apply with such adaptations, whether by way of modification, addition or omission, as the Speaker may consider necessary or convenient.

(N) Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure 263. Functions of Rules Committee There shall be a Committee on Rules of Procedure to consider matters of procedure and conduct of business in the House and to recommend any amendments [by way of addition, alteration, substitution or repeal] to these rules that may be deemed necessary. 264. Constitution of the Committee The Committee on Rules of Procedure shall be appointed by the House and shall consist of twelve members including the Chairman [**]. The Speaker shall be the ex-officio Chairman. 265. Laying of report on the Table (1) The recommendations of the Committee shall be laid on the Table and within a period of seven days, beginning with the day on which they are so laid, any member may give notice of any amendment to such recommendation. (2) The House shall consider the Report of the Committee and amendments, if any, proposed thereto and the Rules shall stand amended [accordingly] after the same has been adopted by the House. (3) The amendments or additions to the rules shall come into force on their adoption by the House and shall be notified in the official Gazette.

(0) Special Committee 266.Composition and Functions The Parliament may, by motion, appoint a Special Committee which shall have such composition and function as may be specified in the motion.

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A. Bibliography: Books/ Legal Documents:

1. Bangladesh Awami League. https://www.albd.org/ 2. Bangladesh nationalist Party. https://www.bnpbd.org/ 3. The Bangladesh Constitution. Available at http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/pdf_part.php?id=367 Visited_18_11_2016 4. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany. Available at- https://www.btgbestellservice.de Visited 10/11/2016 5. Constitution, Jefferson’s manual And Rules of the house of Representatives of the United States, One hundred twelfth congress, John v. Sullivan Parliamentarian. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/HMAN-112/pdf/HMAN-112.pdf Visited 11/11/2016

6. The Constitution of India. Available at http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29July08.pdf Visited 18/11/2016. 7. Kay Richard, “Comparative Constitutional Fundamentals”, University of Connecticut School of Law. http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1300&context=law_papers Visited 15/12/2016 8. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Bangladesh_2011.pdf 9. Effectiveness of Parliamentary Standing Committees in Bangladesh: Challenges and Way Forward. Available at https://www.ti-bangladesh. Visited 14/11/2016 10. H.W.R. Wade, “Constitutional Fundamentals”, The Hamlyn Lectures, http://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/schoolofhumanitiesandsocialscie nces/law/pdfs/Constitutional_Fundamentals.pdf Visited 30/11/2016 11. https://www.ti-bangladesh.org Visited- 10/11/2016 12. John K. Johnson, Robert T. Nakamura, “Orientation handbook for members of parliaments, 2006. Available at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTPARLIAMENTARIANS/Resources/Orientation-Handboo Visited- 15 November-2016

13. Parliamentary Committees Introduction of India. Available at http://164.100.47.194/Loksabha/Committee/Comm_Introductionnew.pdf#page=3 Visited_25/11/2016 14. Dr. Shanje Martin & Dr. Sam DePauw, “ Parliamentary Committees and Multi-Party Government”, Available at https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/cec5f1c2-deb2-41b48dd4-9a89cc4001fc.pdf Visited 25/11/2016. 15. Huq, Mufazzalul(1991), ‘Parliamentary committees and public enterprise accountability in Bangladesh’, Management Development, Vol. 20, 1991.

16. Hasanuzzaman, Al Masud (2007), “Role of Parliamentary Committees in Bangladesh” 17. Nizam Ahmed and ATM Obaidullah (eds.), The Working of Parliamentary Committees 68 | P a g e

18. Rules of Procedures of Bangladesh Parliament, English. Available at http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/rules-of-procedure-3 Visited 18/11/2016 19. Rules of Procedure of the German Bundestag and Rules of Procedure of the Mediation Committee. Available at- https://www.btg-bestellservice.de/pdf/80060000.pdf Visited 10/11/2016 20. Rules of Procedure of the Indian Parliament. Available at http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/rules/rulep26.html Visited-25/11/2016 21. UK Parliament, http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/ Visited 14/11/2016 22. https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/politics/people/dr-shane-martin/pdfs/the-committeesystem Visited 14/11/2016

B. References Research work/Journal/ newspapers 1. Bangladesh: Country Financial Accountability Assessment; Parliamentary Control Over Public expenditure in Bangladesh: The Role of Committees, May, 2000. Available at https://www.google.com.bd/?gws_rd=cr,ssl&ei=B-gWIqnHYSAvQTv_LqICQ#q=Parliamentary+Control+Over+Public+Expenditure+in+Bangladesh:+The+ Role+of+Committees 2. Martin Shane, “The Committee System, , School of Law & Government”, Dublin City University. 3. Mollah, Md.Awal Hossain Mollah, “Good Governance in Bangladesh: Role of Parliament” , Lecturer, Dept. Of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. available at: https://www.google.com.bd/?gws_rd=cr,ssl&ei=B-gWIqnHYSAvQTv_LqICQ#q=Parliamentary+Control+Over+Public+Expenditure+in+Bangladesh:+The+ Role+of+Committeeshttp://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNPAN/UNPAN01 4209.pdf 4. Parliamentary Committees in Democracies, World Bank Group. Available athttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/PSGLP/Resources/CommitteesUnit1.pdf visited 20/11/2016 5. The Parliamentary Committee System in Bangladesh; An Analysis of its Functioning, K.M. Mahiuddin, Lecturar, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh. Available at http://archiv.ub.uniheidelberg.de/volltextserver/9565/1/Parliamentary_Committees_in_Bangladesh.pdf. Visited 24/10/2016.

C. Bangla References 1. cvj©vv‡g›UIqvP, beg RvZxq msm`, Rvbyqyqvwi 2009 - b‡f¤^i^i 2013, mvi-ms‡ÿc, 18 gvP© 2014. https://www.ti-bangladesh. 2. mvwe©K wb‡`©kbvq Av`bvb †gvnwmb, ivR BKevj kvnwiqvi, Òmsm` wb‡`©wkKv, AvBb cÖYqb cÖwµqv Ges w¯úKvi-mvsm`-RbMbÓ, MÖxK wjwg‡UW- 862472, https://www.ti-bangladesh. 3. Avd‡ivR dv‡Zgv, †iv‡RwU Rywj‡qU, Òmsm`xq ¯’vqx KwgwUi Kvh©KiZv: P¨v‡jÄ I DËi‡Yi DcvqÓ, wU AvB we, 9 AvM÷, 2015, https://www.ti-bangladesh.org Visited- 15/10/2016 4. Av³vi †gvi‡k`v, Avd‡ivR dv‡Zgv I†iv‡RwU Rywj‡qU, Òcvj©v‡g›U IqvP cÖwZ‡e`b, beg RvZxq msm`Ó, wU AvB we, Rvbyqvwi 2009 -b‡f¤^i2013, , wmiWvcwgjbvqZb, XvKv, 18 gvP© 2014. https://www.ti-bangladesh.org 69 | P a g e

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