6 reform commissions' terms extended again till 15 Feb

Highlights:

• Six reform commissions terms extended till 15 February
• They were supposed to submit their reports to the government within 90 days of their formation
• The first time around five of the commissions got extension until 15 January, while the judiciary reform commission got till 31 January.
• Four reform commissions, out of six formed in the first phase, submitted their reports to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on 15 Jan

The government has extended the terms of six reform commissions till 15 February.

The Cabinet Division today (20 January) issued a notification extending these commissions' terms for the second time.

The commissions for reforms in the electoral system, constitution, public administration, anti-corruption commission, judiciary, and police were supposed to submit their reports to the government within 90 days of their formation. 

Govt extends tenure of 6 reform commissions

Since they were established and gazetted on different dates, they were expected to submit their recommendations by the end of December last year and the first half of January this year.  

However, since no commission was able to complete its work, the first time around five of the commissions got extension until 15 January, while the judiciary reform commission got till 31 January.

Earlier on 15 January, four reform commissions, out of six formed in the first phase, submitted their reports to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. 

4 reform commissions submit reports to CA

The commissions that submitted their reports are the Election Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Police Reform Commission, and the Constitution Reform Commission. 

However, the Public Administration Reform Commission and Judiciary Reform Commission were unable to submit their reports. 

The two commissions that have not yet submitted their recommendations now also have their term extended by one more month, alongside the four that have submitted their reports.

Later, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the interim government will hold discussions with political parties next month on implementing the proposals made by various reform commissions.

Discussions with political parties on reform proposals set for mid-Feb

"The reform commissions have requested an additional month, so formal discussions are expected to begin in mid-February," she said.

The interim government had issued a gazette notification forming these commissions on 3 October.

The six commissions are the Electoral System Reform Commission headed by Badiul Alam Majumdar, the Police Administration Reform Commission headed by Sarfaraz Hossain, the Judiciary Reform Commission headed by Justice Shah Abu Naeem Mominur Rahman, Anti-Corruption Reform Commission headed by TIB's Iftekharuzzaman, Public Administration Reform Commission headed by Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, and Constitution Reform Commission headed by Distinguished Professor at Illinois State University Ali Riaz.