Rumeen Farhana proposes committee review
The parliament today passed two bills removing age limits for appointing the heads and members of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA).
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, abolishes the existing age limit of 65 for appointing the chair and commissioners of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026 removes the age limit of 67 for the chair and members.
In an unusual development, a debate took place in the House after the bills were passed, with opposition members raising concerns and demanding the removal of the Bangladesh Bank governor, while treasury bench members refuted the allegations.
Independent MP Rumeen Farhana was the only member to propose sending the bills to a public opinion review committee, which meant no other member could formally discuss them.
Despite this, several opposition MPs raised their hands to speak. The speaker allowed Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman to speak.
Shafiqur Rahman said the rules were not followed as members did not receive the bills in time.
“We were supposed to receive the bills three days earlier, but we didn’t even get them a day before. We just received the materials now, on our desks. I request you not to curtail our rights,” he said.
The speaker said the report had been provided the previous day and that it was within the speaker’s discretion, before proceeding with the passage of the bills.
After the passage, NCP’s Akhter Hossen questioned whether the removal of age limits was intended to favour specific individuals.
“The age restrictions in two laws have been removed. Is this being done with a particular individual in mind, or is it a matter of policy?” he asked.
“The law has passed, but we are placing our concerns on record.”
He also recalled that during BNP’s tenure in 2001, the retirement age of the Chief Justice was raised, which he said led to prolonged national suffering.
“If something similar happens in the future, the government will have to take responsibility,” he added.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the changes reflect current realities.
“When the securities law was first enacted, the average age was 57. Now it is 72. Given the new economic context of Bangladesh, if qualified individuals want to serve, we must take this into account. There is no room for emotion here,” he said.
He added that such discussions typically fall outside parliamentary rules once a bill is passed, but he responded to address the concerns raised.
Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman said recent government actions, including the appointment of the central bank governor, had gone against public expectations.
“Even the playing field has not been kept open—we rushed in there too. If everything is politicised and family or group interests are prioritised, the country will not progress,” he said.
Deputy Opposition Leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said if the prime minister’s position is not to appoint political figures in financial institutions, then the current governor should be reconsidered.
“But the current governor was a member of BNP’s election steering committee… he should be removed, and a qualified governor appointed,” he said.
The finance minister rejected the allegation.
“Supporting a party does not make someone a party man. Assisting in election activities does not make someone a party man,” he said.
He added that appointments made during the BNP governments were also non-political and maintained that the current governor’s performance has been strong.
