The ruling BNP-led alliance plans to form 41 parliamentary standing committees unilaterally after the Eid-ul-Azha recess of the current session of the Jatiya Sangsad.

Highly placed sources said the government has 'almost finalised' composition of the committees which are considered as 'watch dog' on the activities of ministries under the parliamentary system.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will sit with party policymakers soon to approve chairmen and members of four more standing committees. Earlier last month, she had approved those of 37 committees.

The bodies are being formed over a year after the eighth parliament came into being.

The sources said the government would follow the previous Awami League (AL) rulers' practice in this regard and thus chairman of any standing committee would not be from the main opposition (AL).

However, a move to offer the post of chairman of the Public Accounts Committee to Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina is still being considered within the ruling

party.

Many of the ruling party leaders think this would make the parliament more effective and also enhance the government's image both at home and abroad. But it was not known if the prime minister would agree to this, the sources said.

Although the parties in parliament had agreed to share membership of each of the standing committees in proportion to their strength in the House, neither the BNP nor the AL followed this since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991. Moreover, chairmen of all the committees were from the majority party in the House since then.

The BNP with 113 seats in the last parliament had pressed for proportionate share of chairmen and members of the committees, but the then ruling AL ignored it.

However, this time the AL is demanding proportionate share of chairmen of the committees before nominating their members for the bodies.

But the treasury bench now prefers to follow the then ruling AL's practice in the last parliament.

The committees would be formed keeping the posts for AL members vacant. They would be included in the bodies as soon as nominated by their party, a top leader of the BNP said.

But he mentioned that despite repeated requests, the AL was yet to give the names of its members.