Two bills were passed in the Parliament on Sunday raising the allowances of the Chief Justice (CJ) and the judges of the Appellate Division and the High Court Division of the Supreme Court.
The two bills are- ‘Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Bill, 2021’ and the ‘Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Travelling Allowance) Act, 2021’.
Law Minister Anisul Huq moved the two bills in the House which were passed by voice vote. The Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 2021 will replace the existing ordinance that was promulgated in 1978 while the Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Travelling Allowance) Act, 2021 will replace an ordinance of 1976.
A provision of cook allowance for the judges was incorporated in the Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, while the sumptuary allowance for the judges – the chief justice, judges of the Appellate Division and the High Court—was increased.
However, minor changes were brought to the Bangladesh Supreme Court Judges (Travelling Allowance) as allowances were increased slightly to make this time-befitting.