by Sajjad Hossain Sabuj
DHAKA, Aug 14, 2020 (BSS) – Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman showed his tremendous farsightedness and sagacity in running the country as he framed 131 important laws, including the landmark “The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1974” and “The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973” during his three and a half years tenure.
His government ratified “The Land Boundary Agreement (LBA)” with India that paved the way for settling the 65-year-old border dispute with the neighbouring country.
Bangabandhu enacted “The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act” to establish Bangladesh’s sovereign rights in the sea. The law was framed in 1974 when there was no such a law in most of the countries in the world.
Nearly eight years after the enactment of “The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act” by Bangabandhu, the United Nations (UN) framed “The UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS)” in 1982.
Bangabandhu signed the historic “Land Boundary Agreement (LBA)” with the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on May 16 in 1974 to settle the decades-old land boundary dispute between the two next-door neighbours.
Bangladesh quickly ratified the agreement in that year but India failed to do so. Indian parliament, however, unanimously passed the LBA on May 7 in 2015, 41 years after its ratification by Bangladesh, ending the 65-year ordeal of the enclave people of both countries.
During the tenure of the Bangabandhu government, Bangladesh got the membership of the UN, the Commonwealth, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the World Bank, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and some other international bodies.
During his short tenure, Bangladesh established diplomatic ties with 116 important countries.
Following are the laws that Bangabandhu framed during his three and a half years tenure:
1. The Bangladesh Law Officers Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
2. The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
3. The Bangladesh (Legal Proceedings) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
4. The Bangladesh Abandoned Property (Control, Management and Disposal) Order,1972 (President’s Order);
5. The Bangladesh (Adaptation of Insurance Act) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
6. The Bangladesh Bank (Demonetisation of Currency Notes) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
7. The Bangladesh Constituent Assembly Members (Cessation of Membership) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
8. The Bangladesh Banks (Nationalisation) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
9. The Bangladesh Industrial Enterprises (Nationalisation) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
10.The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
11. The Bangladesh (Vesting of Property and Assets) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
12. The Bangladesh Insurance (Emergency Provision) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
13. The Bangladesh (Resumption of Easement Lands) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
14. The Bangladesh (Adaptation of East Pakistan Intermediate and Secondary Education Ordinance) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
15. The Bangladesh Industrial Development Corporation Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
16. The East Pakistan Madrasah Education Ordinance (Repeal) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
17. The Bangladesh Names and Emblems (Prevention of Unauthorised Use) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
18. The Bangladesh Legal Practitioner’s and Bar Council Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
19. The Bangladesh (Adaptation of Existing Laws) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
20. The Bangladesh Special (Remuneration and Privileges) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
21. The Finance (1971-1972) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
22. The Bangladesh Nationalised Enterprises and Statutory Corporation
(Prohibition of Strikes and Unfair Labour Practices) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
23. The Bangladesh Power Development Boards Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
24. The Bangladesh (Demonetisation of Bank Notes) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
25. The Bangladesh Taxation Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
26. The Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
27. The Bangladesh (Whips) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
28. The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
29. The Bangladesh (Legal Proceedings) (Second) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
30. The Bangladesh Census Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
31. The Government Educational and Training Institutions (Adaptation) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
32. The Bangladesh (Budgetary Provisions) Order, 1972 (Presidents’ Order);
33. The National Board of Revenue Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
34. The Finance Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
35. The Printing Corporation (Vesting) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
36. The Bangladesh Coinage Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
37. The Bangladesh Currency Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
38. The International Financial Organisations Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
39. The Bangladesh (Legal Proceedings)(Third) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
40. The Bangladesh (Freedom Fighters) Welfare Trust Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
41. The Bangladesh Insurance (Nationalisation ) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
42. The Bangladesh Land Holding (Limitation) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
43. The Bangladesh Scouts Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
44. The Pakistan Television Corporation (Taking Over) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
45. The Bangladesh Committee of Management (Temporary Arrangement) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
46. The Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
47. The Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
48. The Bangladesh Shilpa Bank Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
49. The Bangladesh National Anthem, Flag and Emblem Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
50. The Bangladesh Industrial Development Corporation (Dissolution) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
51. The Bangladesh Transfer of Immovable Property (Temporary Provisions) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
52. The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
53. The Bangladesh Rifles Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
54. The Bangladesh Citizenship (Temporary Provisions) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
55. The Representation of the People Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
56. The Bangladesh Insurance Corporation (Dissolution) Order, 1972 (President’s Order);
57. The Bangladesh (Adaptation of University Laws) Ordinance, 1972;
58. The Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 1973;
59. The Insurance Corporations Act, 1973;
60. The Appropriation (Vote on Account) Act, 1973;
61. The Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973;
62. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Act, 1973;
63. The Finance Act, 1973;
64. The Appropriation (Railways) Act, 1973;
65. The Appropriation Act, 1973;
66. The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973;
67. The Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation Act, 1973;
68. The Printing Presses and Publications (Declaration and Registration) Act,1973;
69. The Rajshahi University Act, 1973;
70. The Bangladesh Girl Guides Association Act, 1973;
71. The Chittagong University Act, 1973;
72. The Jahangirnagar University Act, 1973;
73. The Bangladesh Chartered Accountants Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
74. The Asian Development Bank Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
75. The Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
76. The Bangladesh Passport Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
77. The University Grants commission of Bangladesh Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
78. The Dhaka University Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
79. The Bangladesh Laws (Repealing and Amending) Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
80. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
81. The Bangladesh National Liberation Struggle (Indemnity) Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
82. The Trade Marks (Invalidation and Summary Registration) Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
83. The Bangladesh Wild Life (Preservation) Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
84. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
85. The Bangladesh Kirshi Bank Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
86. The Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) Order, 1973 (President’s Order);
87. The Special Police Establishment (Repeal) Act, 1974;
88. The Transfer of Railways (Repeal) Act, 1974;
89. The Primary Schools (Taking Over) Act, 1974;
90. The Bidi (Restriction of Manufacture) (Repeal) Act, 1974;
91. The Public Servants (Retirement) Act, 1974;
92. The Bangladesh Jute Research Institute Act, 1974;
93. The Special Powers Act, 1974;
94. The Refugees Rehabilitation Finance Corporation (Repeal) Act,1974;
95. The Members of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (Terms and Conditions of Service) Act, 1974;
96. The Comptroller and Auditor-General (Additional Functions) Act, 1974;
97. The Press Council Act,1974;
98. The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act,1974;
99. The Bangladesh Unnayan Gobeshona Protishthan Act, 1974;
100. The Essential Services Laws(Amendment) Act,1974;
101. The Children Act, 1974;
102. The Appropriation (Supplementary) Act, 1974;
103. The Appropriation (Vote on Account) Act, 1974;
104. The Finance Act, 1974;
105. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 1974;
106. The Appropriation Act, 1974
107. The Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act, 1974;
108. The Primary Education Laws (Repeal) Act, 1974;
109. The National Sports Council Act, 1974;
110. The Extradition Act, 1974;
111. The Bangladesh Petroleum Act, 1974;
112. The Oil and Gas Development Corporation (Repeal) Act, 1974;
113. The Stamp Duties (Additional Modes of Payment) Act, 1974;
114. The Record of Jute Growers (Border Areas) Act, 1974;
115. The Finance Act, 1975;
116. The Appropriation (Supplementary) Act, 1975;
117. The Appropriation (Vote on Account) Act, 1975;
118. The President’s (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 1975;
119. The Prime Minister’s (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 1975;
120. The Bangladesh (Restoration of Evacuee Property) (Effect of Expiry) Act, 1975;
121. The Bangladesh Laws (Amendment) Act, 1975;
122. The ESSO Undertakings Acquisition Act, 1975;
123. The Islamic Foundation Act, 1975;
124. The Blind Relief (Donation of Eye) Act, 1975;
125. The Islamic Development Bank Act, 1975;
126. The Services (Reorganisation and Conditions) Act, 1975;
127. The Nationalised Bank (Transfer of Business) Act, 1975;
128. The Hundred-Taka Demonetised Notes (Mode of Payment and Recovery of Taxes) Act, 1975;
129. The Jute Companies (Acquisition of Shares) Ordinance, 1975;
130. The Government-owned Newspapers (Management) Act, 1975;
131. The Appropriation Act, 1975;