The Jatiya Sangsad yesterday held a discussion to observe International Day of Democracy amid a boycott by BNP-led opposition lawmakers.
The ruling Awami League-led lawmakers strongly criticised the Leader of Opposition
Khaleda Zia for not joining the House yesterday and also for raising the demand for a restoration of the caretaker government system.
Some of them blasted the US and the UK for what they said was the two countries’ attempts to interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
More than a dozen lawmakers participated in the discussion that continued for nearly one and a half hours.
“Today is International Day of Democracy. But she [Khaleda] went to north Bengal [Rangpur] instead of joining parliament,” said AL lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta.
He said the next election would be held in line with the current constitution.
Ruling party lawmaker Abdul Matin Khasru said, “She has gone to Rangpur, dodging her parliamentary duties. It is contempt of parliament.”
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a global organisation of national parliaments, has been observing September 15 as the International Day of Democracy every year following the adoption of a resolution by the UN in 2007.
The day was first observed in 2008 but Bangladesh couldn’t observe it as an unelected caretaker government was in power at that time.
The Bangladesh parliament held a discussion on September 15, 2009 to observe the day without the participation of the BNP-led opposition lawmakers. However, no discussion was held in parliament to mark the day in the last four years.
Taking the floor on points of order before the discussion, three AL lawmakers defended the constitutional provision for holding the next general election without dissolving the current parliament.
AL lawmaker Tofail Ahmed said six elections were held for the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, after dissolution of the House while eight polls were held without dissolving parliament.
Suranjit criticised the proposal for forming an all-party polls-time government comprised of 10 members — five each from the ruling and the opposition parties — and making a non-partisan person the head of the government.
Ruling party lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim strongly opposed the idea of holding any discussion with opposition parties on the election-time government.
“There is no need for holding any discussion. The election will be held according to the current constitution,” he said.
Independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim expressed fears of political violence if the next election is not held with the participation of all major parties.
The ruling Awami League-led lawmakers strongly criticised the Leader of Opposition
Khaleda Zia for not joining the House yesterday and also for raising the demand for a restoration of the caretaker government system.
Some of them blasted the US and the UK for what they said was the two countries’ attempts to interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
More than a dozen lawmakers participated in the discussion that continued for nearly one and a half hours.
“Today is International Day of Democracy. But she [Khaleda] went to north Bengal [Rangpur] instead of joining parliament,” said AL lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta.
He said the next election would be held in line with the current constitution.
Ruling party lawmaker Abdul Matin Khasru said, “She has gone to Rangpur, dodging her parliamentary duties. It is contempt of parliament.”
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a global organisation of national parliaments, has been observing September 15 as the International Day of Democracy every year following the adoption of a resolution by the UN in 2007.
The day was first observed in 2008 but Bangladesh couldn’t observe it as an unelected caretaker government was in power at that time.
The Bangladesh parliament held a discussion on September 15, 2009 to observe the day without the participation of the BNP-led opposition lawmakers. However, no discussion was held in parliament to mark the day in the last four years.
Taking the floor on points of order before the discussion, three AL lawmakers defended the constitutional provision for holding the next general election without dissolving the current parliament.
AL lawmaker Tofail Ahmed said six elections were held for the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, after dissolution of the House while eight polls were held without dissolving parliament.
Suranjit criticised the proposal for forming an all-party polls-time government comprised of 10 members — five each from the ruling and the opposition parties — and making a non-partisan person the head of the government.
Ruling party lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim strongly opposed the idea of holding any discussion with opposition parties on the election-time government.
“There is no need for holding any discussion. The election will be held according to the current constitution,” he said.
Independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim expressed fears of political violence if the next election is not held with the participation of all major parties.
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