Two amendment bills - the Bangladesh Medical University Act, 1998 and the Public Examinations (Offences) (Amendment) Act, 2026 - were tabled in the parliament yesterday (28 June) and referred to the respective parliamentary special committees for scrutiny.
The bills were introduced during the budget session of the 13th parliament by Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain and Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.
Speaker referred both bills to the relevant parliamentary special committees for further examination.
According to the statement of objects and reasons attached to the proposed amendments to the Bangladesh Medical University Act, the university's super-specialised hospital has remained only partially operational despite the completion of its construction due to the absence of an appropriate management structure and required manpower.
The proposed amendment seeks to enable the hospital to be managed under the Companies Act and facilitate the recruitment of the necessary workforce.
The bill also proposes to expand the university's authority by allowing it to establish profit-making or non-profit companies and organisations, acquire, hold and transfer shares, invest in such entities, and manage income generated through them to strengthen its healthcare, education and research activities.
Meanwhile, the statement accompanying the Public Examinations (Offences) (Amendment) Act, 2026 says the existing 1980 law is no longer adequate to address offences in the current digital environment.
The proposed amendments aim to modernise the law to tackle technology-enabled crimes such as question paper leaks, cheating, the production of fake certificates and offences related to online examinations.
The revised law would also bring crimes committed through digital platforms under its legal framework and prescribe penalties for such offences.
The statement further notes that the draft amendment was reviewed, revised and vetted several times by the Cabinet and the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division before receiving final approval from the Cabinet on 18 June.
Bangladesh Medical University Act / Public Examinations Act / Parliament
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