Assignment On Parliamentary Committee System in Bangladesh- Functional Analysis of different Parliamentary Committee

Parliamentary Committee System in Bangladesh: Functional Analysis of different Parliamentary Committee. This article examines the patterns and performance of Parliamentary Committees in Bangladesh. Committees are ubiquitous. They are found in all types of parliamentary old or new, large or small, The Jatiya Sangsad, as the parliament is called in Bangladesh, is no exception. The evidence presented in this paper clearly shows that the committees set up by recent parliaments have fared far better than their predecessors in almost every function, including scrutinizing legislation and exercising oversight over executive departments. The creation of an elaborate committee system is necessary, but is not sufficient to ensure that it will work unless some other conditions are met. Comparative experience shows that the recommendations of Parliamentary Committees are generally honored. But Bangladesh appears to be a deviant case.

Bangladesh is a small but resourceful country of South Asia. Despite years of military and autocratic rule, Bangladesh enjoyed a popular familiarity with parliament that was much deeper than in many other countries in the Third World. The parliament in Bangladesh is called Jatiya Sangsad (JS) and it is a unicameral parliament patterned after the Westminster model. 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 “miniature legislatures” or “microcosms" of their parent bodies. Parliamentary committees in Bangladesh owe their origin to and gain legitimacy from two sources: the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Journal of Education and Practice Bangladesh, and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament (rules). The constitution makes it mandatory for parliament to set up a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and a Privileges Committee, and empowers it to constitute as many standing committees as it considers necessary. Committee members enjoy immunity for whatever they say and/or the way they vote. Thus, parliamentary committees in Bangladesh formally enjoy important status and extensive powers. The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) has traditionally setup three types of committees: standing committees, select committees, and special committees. The main difference between the different committees centre’s on their nature of appointment. Standing committees are relatively permanent; they are normally constituted for the duration of the parliament. Special and select committees are ad hoc bodies; they cease to exist when their job is completed. Standing committees are generally classified into a number of categories, the most important of which are DPCs. The other categories are scrutinizing committees, financial committees and house committees.

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