Sangsad Bhaban, July 15 -- Parliament on Wednesday passed the Invest Bangladesh Bill, 2026, despite strong objections from the opposition, which criticised the government for introducing and passing the legislation on the same day without referring it to a parliamentary committee.

The bill, moved by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, also the minister in charge of the Prime Minister's Office in Parliament, was passed by a voice vote after a lengthy procedural debate, with opposition MPs repeatedly protesting what they described as a violation of lawmakers' right to scrutinise legislation.

The new law abolishes the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), the Bangladesh Public Private Partnership Authority (PPP Authority) and the Banglad...