The constitution empowers the parliamentary standing committees to examine draft bills before placing them in parliament to enact laws but successive governments have not followed the provision. The common practice is that the cabinet approves the draft bills or any legislative proposals, which are placed in the House as bills later for turning them into laws.
Apparel owners' association BGMEA has urged the opposition chief to return to parliament and discuss their problems. "I sincerely request you, as the opposition leader in parliament, to discuss our proposals in the House," BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedi said to Khaleda Zia at the closing ceremony of the BATEXPO-2009 at Sonargaon Hotel on Friday. Khaleda attended the programme as the chief guest.
BNP termed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's statement in parliament about restoring the 1972 Constitution "illegal" as the opposition party thinks there is no scope to fall back over so many years that have gone by through major changes. "After long years, there is no scope for a return to that place (72 Constitution)," said BNP secretary-general Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday, criticizing the Prime Minister's statement made Wednesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament has said the main opposition BNP is not helping her government to strengthen democracy and resolve people's problems. “They [BNP] are not offering support to strengthen the democratic process. What indication are they giving by abstaining from parliament? To whom are they extending support?” asked the leader of the House in her winding-up speech of the third session of parliament that was prorogued yesterday.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday told the parliament that the lawmakers of the main opposition seemed to be eager to return to the house but were staying out because of their leaders.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday said that the speaker of the parliament has no right to form a probe body to investigate into corruption allegation against the former speaker, deputy speaker and chief whip. Delwar cited section 76 of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure in support of his contention.
Secretary general of the main opposition BNP, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, said Monday that parliament "is not functioning properly". Delwar—whose own party has refused to go to parliament since the start of the year except for a few occasions in the first session because of a seating dispute—was referring to speaker Abdul Hamid's venting of frustration on Sunday at the poor attendance of ministers and senior ruling party MPs in the House.
The Jatiya Sangsad speaker, Abdul Hamid, on Monday asked the government to come up with a statement in the parliament on the reported connection with extremists of the last military secretary of the president as early as possible. ‘This is a serious point that has been raised on the parliament’s floor. The government should probe the matter seriously and inform the parliament of its findings as soon as possible,’ the speaker told the MPs after issuing a ruling on a point raised by Suranjit Sengupta, senior lawmaker of the Awami League.
Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui today hit out at Speaker Abdul Hamid for his remark likening the parliament to a ‘fish market’ for hustle and bustle in the House. “If it is a fish market, who is the wholesaler then?” he shot a question taking the floor after question-answer session with Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali in the chair.
Corruption could not be eradicated unless the parliament becomes active, speakers said at the youth convention of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in the capital today. They also pointed out that the corruption spreads at all the level including the government offices. Speakers also urged the political parties to respect people’s verdict on the ninth parliamentary election and their election manifesto to create an accountable parliament for the greater good.
