Hasina seeks quick solution to Rohingya problem
Asansol, May 26: A day after seeking the cooperation of the international community to ensure Myanmar took back the Rohingya refugees, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sehikh Hasina on Saturday called for a quick solution to the problem.
"You know, about 11 lakh Rohingya refuges have taken shelter in our country. We have given them shelter on humanitarian grounds. We want a quick solution to the problem," she said after receiving an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from the Kazi Nazrul University here in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district.
On Friday, the Bangladesh Prime Minister had urged the international community to mount pressure on the Myanmar government for taking back the refugees sheltered in her country.
The Indian government has refused to give shelter to the fleeing Rohingya refugees, saying it was already facing a "serious problem of infiltration" because of its porous border.
Close to 1.1 million Rohingyas have been residing in the south-eastern part of Bangladesh, known as the Cox's Bazar region, after they fled Rakhine state of Myanmar to escape a military crackdown on their villages on the night of August 24-25 last year.
Myanmar authorities, who signed an agreement with Bangladesh last November to repatriate the refugees, have denied allegations of human rights abuses in the military offensive and justified it as a legitimate response to terror.
Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingyas as citizens, claiming they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, which has led to continued discrimination against the community, including restrictions on their freedom of movement.
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How can govt move amendments to women law before notifying principal Act: Opposition in LS
New Delhi (PTI): Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Friday questioned the government's decision to move a bill to amend the 2023 women quota law before bringing the principal Act into force.
Soon after laying of parliamentary papers, K C Venugopal rose to point out a law ministry notification issued last night around 10 pm to bring into force the 2023 women's reservation law with effect from April 16, much after a bill to amend the Act was introduced and discussed in the House.
DMK's Kanimozhi also flagged the issue, wondering the logic in discussing an amendment after notifying the principal Act.
Opposition members sought a clarification from law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal who was present in the Lok Sabha.
"The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam passed in September 2023 has come into force with being published in the Gazette only at 9.55 pm last night.
"It is shocking that the government brought amendments to a Constitutional provision that was not even published in the gazette! This shows the government’s unprepared and lackadaisical approach to serious lawmaking," Venugopal later posted on X.
He said this is also yet another evidence that the treasury benches look at the Parliament as no more than a rubber stamp, not bothered about the procedures and protocol necessary for a fair legislative process.
An official has earlier explained that bringing the law into force was essential as its proposed amendment will not have come into effect without that.
The constitution amendment Bill became a law but did not become part of the Constitution as the government did not bring it into force.
If a law does not come into force, how can its proposed amendment be implemented. Hence, it was brought into force with effect from April 16, the official explained.
