bill
Parliamentary committee gets 2 more months to review media employees bill
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Broadcast on Monday got another 60 days to examine the much-talked-about Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill 2022.
Chairman of the Committee Hasanul Huq Inu sought the time in Parliament and the House approved.
On March 28 of this year, Information and Broadcast Minister Hasan Mahmud placed the Bill and it was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the respective ministry for scrutiny of the proposed law.
According to the source, the Standing Committee did not sit for a meeting till now.
Various journalists organisations and owners associations have opposed many sections of the proposed law.
The wages and benefits of journalists, employees and press workers, artists of broadcast, online, and print media outlets would be fixed under the proposed law.
As per the Bill, journalists will be regarded as media professionals, not as workers.
The wage board will be applicable for journalists and employees of all the media outlets, including print and electronic, as per the Bill.
According to the Bill, the minimum working hours for media employees will be 48 hours in a week, while the casual leave will be 15 days instead of 10 days and the earned leave will be 100 days instead of 60 days annually.
If anybody works beyond the stipulated time, he or she will be entitled to overtime pay.
Besides, the festival leave will be 10 days in a year, recreation leave will be 15 days after every three years, and the maternity leave will be six months in place of the existing eight weeks.
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If anyone or organisation violates the provisions of the Bill, s/he will be fined Tk 50,000-Tk 5 lakh.
The government will be able to cancel the license or registration of the media. The owners of media outlets will also face punishment for violation of the law.
If anyone or any organisation violates the provisions of the Bill, he/she will face monetary fine or imprisonment, the Cabinet secretary said.
Once the new law is passed in parliament, jobs of media employees will no longer be regulated under the labour law.
Currently, journalists and employees of media houses are regarded as “workers” under the labour law.
Once the law is passed, they will be regarded as media personnel, not workers.
According to the proposed law, a wage board will be formed for the media personnel.
The wage board will fix salaries and allowances of media personnel in line with the salary scale of the government employees and it will be applicable to the owners of all media outlets.
Every media house will have a provident fund which will be applicable to a new employee after one year in service instead of two years. An employee will contribute 8 to 10 percent of his basic salary, currently 7 percent, and an equal amount will be deposited in the fund by the owner of the media house, the proposed law states.
Parliament passes bill allowing foreign companies to form joint trade bodies
Parliament on Tuesday passed the Trade Organisation Bill, 2022 was allowing foreign traders to form joint-trade bodies in Bangladesh.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi moved the bill and it was passed by voice vote.
This will replace the Trade Organisations Ordinance, 1961.
Also read:Bill seeking end to discrimination tabled in Parliament
The legislation stated that some legal bases have been laid down for the women entrepreneurs in trade organisations through licensing.
A provision has been made for a joint chamber of commerce and industry (between countries) and a chamber of commerce and industry alliance.
The foreign traders will be able to form a joint chamber.
Bill seeking end to discrimination tabled in Parliament
The ‘Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022’ was placed in Parliament on Tuesday to protect, uphold and ensure equal rights and dignity of all human beings.Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination. The committee was asked to submit its report within 30 days.While placing the proposed law, the law minister said it is aimed at preventing all forms of discrimination in the light of the constitution.According to the draft law, “Inequalities have been eliminated worldwide through a number of international conventions.”In this context, the issues of elimination of inequality have been clearly mentioned (in the Act). This law has been brought in that light.”
Also read: JS passes ‘Mongla Port Authority Bill’ with harsher punishment for polluting environmentThe bill defies the activities of discrimination.As per the bill a monitoring committee would be established.
The Law Minister shall be the Chairman of the Central Committee and a joint secretary from the legislative wing will be its member secretary.Besides, the president of Bangladesh Employers Federation, three representatives of human rights and social service organisations, two workers representatives - one of whom will be a tea worker, four representatives of different religious organisations, one representative of minority ethnic group, one representative of Dalit community will be its member.The committee will monitor if any violation of human rights is occurring or not, across the country.It will hold at least one meeting in three months.An anti-discrimination cell will be formed. The cell will then form anti-discrimination national, divisional, district and other committees to prevent discriminatory activities.The government, as per the bill, will create awareness among the people so that that no discrimination takes place across the society.If anyone lodges a complaint, the district committee will investigate the matter within 30 days.If the district committee fails to provide proper remedy, the complainant could urge the divisional committee for an enquiry within 30 days of filing the complaint.In case, the divisional committee fails, the national committee will investigate and take action after 45 days.If the aggrieved person files a case in the appropriate court, the case has to be disposed of within 90 days.If he fails to do so within 90 days, the case will have to be extended by a maximum of another 15 days.Also read: JS passes bill to check boiler-related accidents, ensure safety in industriesWhat is discriminatory work?The bill states that any person who engages in the following acts directly or indirectly on the pretext of religion, caste, ethnicity, ethnicity, language, age, gender, physical, mental or third gender, place of birth, birth, occupation and untouchability is considered discriminatory.# Preventing, controlling or restricting the entry or presence of any person or group in public places;# Deprived of access to government semi-government, autonomous or private office services;# Restricting the production, sale or marketing of any product or service legally or imposing controls and restrictions on the acceptance of any benefit or product or service prescribed by law;# Refusal or obstruction to enroll a child in an educational institution due to the inability of parents to provide identification without proper reason or expulsion from educational institutions or any other form of discrimination;# Transferring a child to a particular person, group or institution without raising a child in the family because of disability or being of the third sex, or obstructing family life on the pretext of disability;# Prohibit any person or group from taking up any legitimate occupation or job or conducting legitimate business;# Differentiation, deprivation, restriction, restriction or compulsion to resign in employment, leave, promotion, transfer, salary-allowance or benefits in government, semi-government, autonomous or private employment;# Denial to renting out a house or place of residence to an individual or group or denying an application or imposing strict conditions;# Preventing an individual or group from entering his or her home, evicting or forcing him or her to leave the area or residence;# Rural arbitration or socially or religiously bringing a person or group together, socially boycotting or harassing;# Discriminatory treatment due to divorce, widow or divorce or marital relationship;# Forbidding an individual or group to observe any religious rites or customs or forcing them to adopt and observe or abandon any other religion;# Preventing any person or group from legally acquiring and transferring property and depriving them of property rights or inheritance;# Creating barriers to participation in social, political, and cultural activities at the local and national levels.
JS passes bill to make Bangladesh museums more dynamic
The Bangladesh National Museum Bill, 2022 was passed in parliament on Thursday to make the country's museums more dynamic and vibrant.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid moved the Bill in the House and it was passed by voice vote.
Read:Bill placed in JS to bring discipline in private medical, dental colleges
The Bangladesh National Museum Bill, 2022 has replaced the1983 ordinance in this regard.
The highest punishment for museum-related crimes is 10 years’ jail, Tk 10 lakh fine or both as per the proposed law which would be applicable for other museums alongside the National Museum.
Parliament passes bill to set up science & tech university in Pirojpur
National Parliament on Tuesday passed a bill which seeks to establish Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University in Pirojpur.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni introduced the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University Pirojpur
Bill, 2022, in Parliament and it was passed with a voice vote.
The proposed university will be set up on the lines of the existing science and technology varsities for advancement of science and technology-based education.
The President would be the Chancellor of the university.
Bill providing penalty for digital cheque fraud tabled in Parliament
The ‘Payment and Settlement Systems Bill, 2022 was placed in Parliament on Monday with a provision for punishing top bank officials for committing bank fraud through digital cheques.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed the Bill before it was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee. The committee was asked to submit its report within 30 days.
As per the bill, punishment could be a maximum five years of imprisonment or Tk 50 lakh fine, or both.
A provision has been included in the draft law to remove the owner, director, chief executive, manager, secretary or any other official of the company in the case of offences committed by the bank or the company.
Also read: Mass media bill placed in Parliament, sent to standing committee
The proposed law has mentioned punishment for various crimes, but it is not applicable for mobile banking services.
There were regulations, but no precise law governing bank payments and settlements was there. Now it’s going digital. These were not there in the regulations. That’s why the whole system has been brought under the proposed law separately.
In the bill, there are 47 sections, including provisions for electronic money transfers, but cryptocurrency, or virtual currency has not been included in it.
Cryptocurrency is not approved as a medium of exchange by the central bank.
The law has particular sections that outline offences. Section 4/5 defines how transactions will be conducted, how payments will be made, how they’ll be managed and how services will be offered.
The draft also includes rules regarding board management, the minimum investment needed to be a member of the board, ownership and management, management of inspections, and rules of service.
Also read: Report on EC formation Bill placed in parliament
Provisions include the transfer of funds through electronic means and the issuing of digital funds by the central bank.”
Section 37 of the draft law outlines the punishment for those who commit offences.
Section 39 specifies that Bangladesh Bank can remove the owner, director, chief executive, manager, secretary or any other official of a company because of any offences they commit or are involved in.
New bill a plot to form another EC with loyal people: BNP
BNP on Monday alleged that the new bill on the formation of the Election Commission (EC) has been formulated to constitute another Commission with people loyal to the government.
“The Prime Minister’s will be reflected on the Election Commission bill to be passed by the government without having elected representatives,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
He also said the government has prepared the draft of the Bill to constitute another Election Commission like Huda-Rakib ones. “People’s hopes and aspirations will not be reflected on the new Election Commission.”
Also read: Law on EC formation after dialogue just another ‘joke’: BNP
The BNP leader came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of party founder Ziaur Rahman and current chairperson Khaleda Zia, by placing a wreath at his Banani grave, marking his 7th death anniversary.
Referring to a provision of the draft Bill allowing convicted persons to be the EC members, Rizvi said it means those who have committed atrocities in the last 14 years can be the members of the Commission.
“In fact, the government wants to appoint people loyal it as the EC members. They don't want to appoint any gentlemen,” he observed.
Also read: Filing ‘fictitious’ cases now a regular matter: Fakhrul
The BNP leader alleged that the government hastily placed the Bill in parliament as part of a plot to manipulate the next general election.
He said the government is conspiring to constitute the search committee with the people of its own pockets.
“People who wear Mujib Coats will be there in the search committee of the government. This search committee will also find out the people who wear Mujib Coats,” he observed.
Earlier on Sunday, Law Minister Anisul Haq placed the draft Bill, “Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill-2022”, in parliament and it was sent to the scrutiny committee for further examination.
As per the proposed law, a search committee will be formed taking approval from the President over the constitution of the Election Commission.
The search committee will recommend the names of suitable candidates before the President to appoint the CEC and other election commissioners,” the Bill says.
Rizvi alleged that Arafat Rahman Koko died due to torture by the government.
He urged the country’s people to pray for the members of the Zia family.
About the health condition of Khaleda Zia, who has been undergoing treatment in the city’s Evercare Hospital, he said she is still suffering from bleeding. “She's now at the crossroads of life and death for lack of advanced treatment.
Trade Organisation Bill placed in JS
The Trade Organisation Bill, 2022 was placed in Parliament on Sunday, aiming to allow the foreign traders to form joint-trade bodies in Bangladesh.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi placed Bill and it was sent to the scrutiny committee for further examination. The committee was asked to submit its report within 30 days.
This will replace the Trade Organisations Ordinance, 1961.
The draft law stated that some legal bases have been laid down for the women entrepreneurs in trade organisations through licensing.
READ: Cabinet approves President’s draft speech to be delivered in Parliament
A provision has been made for a joint chamber of commerce and industry (between countries) and a chamber of commerce and industry alliance.
The foreign traders will be able to form a joint chamber.
READ: President to deliver speech in Parliament on Nov 24
Bill placed in JS to set up another science and technology university
The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Pirojpur Bill 2021 was placed in parliament, aiming to establish another university in the country for advancing science and technology-based education.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination. The committee was asked to submit its report within one month.
Read: Public Debt Bill lands in Parliament
The proposed university will be a prototype of the existing science and technology universities.
The President would be the Chancellor of the university.
JS passes Leader and Deputy Leader of Opposition (Privileges) Bill
The Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Remuneration and Privileges) Bill, 2021 was passed in Parliament on Tuesday.
It will replace the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance, 1979, which was promulgated during the military regime.
Read: Public Debt Bill lands in Parliament
Law Minister Anisul Huq moved the bill in the House and it was passed by voice vote.
According to the Bill, the Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled to the same salary, allowances and other privileges as are admissible to a Minister.
A Deputy Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled to the same salary, allowances and other privileges as are admissible to a Minister of State.