17^TH Amendment to Bangladesh’s Constitution Passed

The Parliament of Bangladesh on 8^th July 2018 amended Bangladesh's Constitution and paved way for 17^th amendment to the constitution. The parliament today unanimously passed the 17th amendment to the constitution which increases the tenure of 50 lawmakers who are elected in the women reserved seat to 25 years. The Bill was passed in the House by 298-0 vote as the speaker put it in the division vote.

Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill to keep the provision for securing the reserve seats for the women in the parliament with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. If the amendment was not brought, the next parliament would have no women in reserved seats. The bill was placed in the parliament on April 10 and it was sent to the respective Parliamentary Standing Committee for further scrutiny.

Nine lawmakers belonging to the main opposition Jatiya Party and Independent camp placed motions for inclusion of some provisions in the bill which were rejected in voice vote (295-0). The JP and independent MPs who termed some provisions of the bill unconstitutional and argued for increasing the time for 10 years instead of 25 years voted against their proposals during division vote.

According to the Article 65 (3) of the constitution, 50 seats would be reserved exclusively for women in the parliament for 10 years from the first meeting of parliament after the one that passed the 14^th constitutional amendment in 2004.

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Bangladesh's Parliament Passes New Law for Migrant Workers

The Parliament of Bangladesh on 9^th July passed the Wage Earners' Welfare Board Bill, 2018, aimed at ensuring welfare for migrant workers abroad and their family members living in the country. Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSc placed the bill in the House, which was passed by voice votes with Deputy Speaker Fazley Rabbi Mia in the chair.

The minister said the proposed bill would incorporate the issues which are missing from the Overseas Employment and Migrant Act 2013. He also said returnee migrants facing distress on return to Bangladesh would be entitled to get loans on soft terms from the Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEEB).

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