The Law Commission goes to complete 13 years today with its reconstituted body expecting to do something exceptional than its previous bodies, although it is facing some prob-lems>

Sources said the commission had drafted as many as 86 recommendations till September last year since its establishment. But except for only three, all of its recommendations were brushed aside as those were believably not in favour ofsuccessive governments.

The commission, established on September 9 in 1996 for legal amendments, was earlier blamed for failing to modernise the laws and judicial system of the country. It happened mainly due to the lack of political will of subsequent governments, legal experts said.

Commission Chairman Justice MA Rashid, who was appointed on April 20 this year, has hoped that his office will be able to remove the

blames, since the government is sincere to make the commission active and important.

While talking to The Dally Star recently, he said despite some shortcomings, his office has been preparing a two-year work plan with a view to modernising the legal system and updating some old laws.

An official concerned said the four-month old present body of the Law Commission has already done some good jobs including updating of the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 under which the war criminals will be tried.

He said the commission has solicited opinions from different organisations on whether the laws concerning those organisations should be updated.

The commission yesterday held a meeting with the officials of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab). During the meeting, Rab officials gave their opinions in favour of amending the laws

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to empower the force to file cases against the criminals arrested by them and to investigate the cases.

It also held a talk with the leaders of Jatiya Hindu Jote, a Hindu religion-based organisation, on whether there is any necessity to enact any law for mandatory registration of marriage, birth and death of the people of Hindu community, the commission official said.

The leaders of the Jote vehemently opposed the idea, saying that their community will face problem if any such law is enacted.

They, however, demanded enacunent of a law to keep reserved seats in the parliament in proportion with the number of people of different religious communities, said the official.

Another official said the Law Commission, which was reconstituted through appointing its chairman and two members

after the present government's assumption of power, has been facing some problems, including shortage of manpower, funds and logistic support.

He said as there is no library in the commission, it cannot carry out any fruitful research for reform of any law which necessitates support of a well-stocked library having connection to foreign libraries.

The law ministry has rejected a request of the I.aw Commission regarding the appointment of a legislative draftsman for the commission, although it cannot undertake to draft any law without the help of a draftsman.

Last year, the government allotted Tk 93.04 lakh to the commission. This year the budgetary allocation was reduced to Tk 80.82 lakh only for payment of salary of all the officers and employees and to b?ar all other expenditures. tjie official added.