Parliament passes 5 important bills of the interim government

The 13th National Parliament passed five ordinance-backed bills of the interim government by voice vote on Wednesday, marking the 11th day of its first session.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed presided over the session. The bills moved directly to a vote as no special committee proposals were submitted.

The following bills were enacted into law Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2026, Government Accounts Audit Act, 2026, Protection and Conservation of Fish (Amendment) Act, 2026, Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026

Sheikh Hasina Rural Development Academy, Jamalpur (Amendment) Act, 2026 (This bill notably removes the name "Sheikh Hasina" from the institution.)

The ‘Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2026’ sparked a brief debate. Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman requested additional time for review, stating that members received the bill only minutes before the vote.

However, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed rejected the request, ruling that the proposal for discussion was not submitted within the timeframe required by parliamentary rules.

In response, the Home Minister emphasized the public demand for robust anti-terrorism measures. He noted that the current law played a role in the Election Commission's decision to suspend the Awami League's registration. He also highlighted that concurrent changes to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act are underway to facilitate ongoing trials.

The remaining bills focus on administrative efficiency and environmental protection. The amendments to the Government Accounts Audit Act and the Fisheries Conservation Act aim to modernize oversight and resource management, while changes to the WASA framework seek to improve urban public services.

With this parliamentary approval, the emergency ordinances issued by the interim government have now been formally codified into law.