UNB, Dhaka :
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ curtailing the discretionary power of the commission’s chairman in decision-making, aiming to put an end to land disputes in the CHT.
The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said according to the existing law, the decision of the Chairman has so far been considered as the decision of the Commission itself. But the new law proposed taking a decision based on opinion of the majority members of a meeting.
He said, the draft law also modified the existing provision of quorum of the meeting of the Commission.
The Cabinet Secretary said the amendment has been brought incorporating the proposals of resolution signed between the government and Parbattya Chattagram Janasanghati Samity (PCJSS) at a meeting on January 9, 2015 at Chittagong Circuit House. “The amendment will make the CHT land reform law more time-befitting one,” he said.
About the structure of the Commission, Shafiul Alam said a retired Judge of the Bangladesh Supreme Court will be the Chairman of the Commission, while chairman of the CHT Regional Council or his representative, chairmen of Zila Parishads of the three hill districts, three circle chiefs of the CHT and Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong will be the members of the Commission. The new law proposed that the quorum of a meeting of the Commission will require attendance of at least three members and its Chairman instead of two members and Chairman as it is in the existing law. Shafiul Alam said, the draft law will come into effect through an ordinance considering its urgency as the Jatiya Sangsad session will not take place in the next two months.
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ curtailing the discretionary power of the commission’s chairman in decision-making, aiming to put an end to land disputes in the CHT.
The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said according to the existing law, the decision of the Chairman has so far been considered as the decision of the Commission itself. But the new law proposed taking a decision based on opinion of the majority members of a meeting.
He said, the draft law also modified the existing provision of quorum of the meeting of the Commission.
The Cabinet Secretary said the amendment has been brought incorporating the proposals of resolution signed between the government and Parbattya Chattagram Janasanghati Samity (PCJSS) at a meeting on January 9, 2015 at Chittagong Circuit House. “The amendment will make the CHT land reform law more time-befitting one,” he said.
About the structure of the Commission, Shafiul Alam said a retired Judge of the Bangladesh Supreme Court will be the Chairman of the Commission, while chairman of the CHT Regional Council or his representative, chairmen of Zila Parishads of the three hill districts, three circle chiefs of the CHT and Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong will be the members of the Commission. The new law proposed that the quorum of a meeting of the Commission will require attendance of at least three members and its Chairman instead of two members and Chairman as it is in the existing law. Shafiul Alam said, the draft law will come into effect through an ordinance considering its urgency as the Jatiya Sangsad session will not take place in the next two months.
