The government yesterday tabled in parliament a bill proposing 50% additional allowances for the Chief Justice and judges of the High Court and Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court.
Law Minister Anisul Huq tabled the Supreme Court Judges (remuneration and privileges) Bill-2014 in parliament.
The bill, if passed, will amend the existing Supreme Court Judges (remuneration and privileges) Ordinance-1978.
The proposed law says the judges will get 50% of their basic salary as special allowance every month.
Not only the Chief Justice and judges, the commissioners of the Anti-Corruption Commission and other autonomous bodies will get similar allowance, the law ministry officials say.
Since its opening sitting on January 29, the government has not tabled any bill in the last 20 sittings of the 10th Jatiya Sangsad, practically devoid of a true opposition.
Parliament resumed its sitting on March 18 after a five-day recess since March 12.
After its initiation in the House, the bill went to the parliamentary standing committee on the 10-member parliamentary standing committee on law ministry headed by the former railway minister Suranjit Sengupta.
The watchdog has been given three days to examine the bill and bring out changes to it, if it thinks necessary. The standing committee will then place its report to the House by March 23.
The bill is likely to be passed after the speaker includes the bill in the day’s business, parliament secretariat officials say.