Standing Committees on Ministries in the Bangladesh Parliament

Abstract

Since parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh was restored in 1991, the reorganisation of parliament has become the centre of attention. Development partners have been keen on organisational and institutional reforms in parliament to make a meaningful shift to the parliamentary system that was put in place abruptly and without adequate preparations. This transformation called for a revision of rules and the modernisation of the parliamentary secretariat, rejuvenating the committee system. This article highlights the major steps taken in the reorganisation of the standing committees of the parliament in Bangladesh, in an attempt to increase the parliament’s institutional/oversight capacity on the executive. It traces the weaknesses of the parliamentary standing committees of the early 1990s, findings and recommendations of the major reform measures and the state of affairs in the aftermath of reforms. However, strengthening parliamentary committees and their oversight capacity on the executive needs systemic and institutional changes, which calls for strong political commitment and strategic leadership on the part of senior parliament management and change in the mindset of the executive.