545 Ordinances of Martial Law Regimes
2 bills seeking legitimacy passed by parliament
The parliament yesterday passed two bills seeking legitimacy and continuation of the operation of over 545, now void, ordinances promulgated during past two martial law regimes.
The special provision would not be considered as giving approval and ratification to any action done by the illegal and unconstitutional regimes, said a provision included in both bills.
The parliament, however, did not know the exact number and contents of the ordinances.
The two bills, placed in parliament on February 19, came with a list of names of 166 ordinances.
According to a law ministry report, the two bills sought to replace two January 21 ordinances seeking continuation of the over 545 ordinances. Therefore, the parliament did not even know the names of 379 or more ordinances.
Opposing the passage, independent MP Fazlul Azim, the lone lawmaker in the opposition bench, yesterday proposed some changes and urged to send the bills to a select committee for further scrutiny.
Rejecting Azim's proposals, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said the bills must immediately be passed as the January 21 ordinances cease to have effect today.
He, however, said the ministries concerned would examine the ordinances and bring necessary changes.
Through the 5th and 7th constitutional amendments, all actions, including promulgation of the ordinances of the martial law regimes by Gen Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad, were ratified and validated.
During those periods the parliament did not exactly know what it ratified and validated as the constitutional amendments provided blanket indemnity to all actions of the two regimes.
The House in June 2011, after the Supreme Court declared the amendments illegal and void, deleted the two amendments' provisions through the 15th amendment. Afterwards, the law ministry did not take any step in this regard.
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