The government is considering setting up a circuit bench of the High Court Division in Chattagram, said Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday. He said this in Parliament while replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Mamunur Rashid Kiron (Noakhali-3).
Earlier, the Thursday's sitting of the House started at 6:00pm with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. As per the Article 100 of the Constitution, the permanent seat of the Supreme Court shall be in the capital, but sessions of the High Court Division may be held at such other place or places as the Chief Justice may, with the approval of the president, from time to time appoint, said the minister.
With the authority given in the Article, the matter of setting up a circuit bench of the High Court Division in Chittagong is under active consideration," he said. In reply to another question from Awami League lawmaker Abdul Latif (Chattogram-11), the Minister said a total of 369 laws enacted during the British India and Pakistan periods are now effective in Bangladesh. The number of current laws made during the British India and Pakistan era in East Pakistan before the declaration of independence of Bangladesh is 369 ones," he said. He said the effectiveness of all the laws is continued as per the article 149 of the Constitution. By enacting the Bangladesh Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act, 1973, the pre-independence laws were upheld with necessary amendments and inclusions, he added.
According to the list placed by the minister, the number of laws of the British India era in Bangladesh is 222, while that of the Pakistan era is 147. The first law enacted in the British India era is "The Wills and Intestacy Regulation, 1799" and the last law made during the Pakistan period is "The Government and Local Authority Lands and Buildings (Recovery of Possession) Ordinance, 1970. Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim told the House that the number of local species of extinct fish is 64. He said this replying to a question from ruling party lawmaker Nur Uddin Chowdhary Nayan (Laxmipur-2).
The minister said that the government has taken various steps to protect almost-extinct species of fishes. In reply to another question from AL lawmaker Momota Hena Lovely (Women Seat-31), the livestock minister said the number of farms in the country is more than 13 lakh (exactly 1,338,590). Among them, 270,290 cow farms, 873, 200 goat/sheep farms and 195,100 poultry farms.
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