Serious questions have been raised about inclusion of a member of parliament (MP) in a parliamentary committee in which he has direct personal interest. The same MP is allegedly misusing his power, as a member of the said committee, for his personal interest at the cost of public interest.

According to the Section 188 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) "No member shall be appointed to a Committee who has a personal, pecuniary or direct interest in any matter which may be considered by that Committee." The Rules of Procedure, explaining it further, says, "For the purpose of this sub-rule the interest of the member should be direct, personal or pecuniary and separately belong to the person whose inclusion in the Committee may be objected to and not in common with the public in general or with any class or section thereof or on a matter of State policy."

But Nasrul Hamid Bipu, MP of Dhaka -3 (Keraniganj) constituency, has been appointed member of the parliamentary standing committee on Housing and Public Works Ministry, though, as a real estate businessman, he has personal business interest on the activities of the committee. Business interest of the MP has reportedly become a major obstacle in development of an important public housing project of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).

Bipu, who was obstructing implementation of the Rajuk's housing project, has now become more powerful after becoming member of the concerned parliamentary committee. He has been reportedly using his influence so that the government's project implementation is delayed and in the process Priya Prangon Housing project of the Hamid Real Estate Ltd, which he owns, can do monopoly business.

Bipu MP started his Priya Prangon Housing project occupying a vast area on the western side of the Jhilmil project of RAJUK. According to reports published in a section of the press including The New Nation, parliament member Bipu has imposed an unwritten ban on registration of land at the local sub-registrar's office without his prior permission. He has been trying to ensure through the ban so that only Priya Prangon Housing Ltd can purchase land in the area at cheaper prices.

Priya Prangon Housing has been selling plots of lands without the approval of the RAJUK, as concerned officials of the government do not dare to take any action against the company owned by Bipu. Meanwhile, legal experts and veteran parliamentarians have termed membership of anybody in parliamentary committee as illegal, if he or she has personal interest tagged to that committee.

Seasoned parliamentarian and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Law and Parliamentary affairs Suranjit Sengupta said that the section 188 of the Rules of Procedure has forbidden lawmakers to become a member of any parliamentary committee if they have any personal, pecuniary or direct interest with it. "I will not comment on any particular person's membership in any committee without knowing details of his interest in it. But in academic sense I will refer to the article 188 of the Rules of Procedure," he said.

Eminent lawyer Barrister Amirul Islam said, "If anybody has personal or related interest with any committee should not be a member of that committee." "Incidentally, if anybody becomes a member of a committee in conflict with his personal interest, should, in principle, abstain from participating in discussions on related issues. He should feel embarrassed and stop to pass any opinion on the concerned issue," he said. Opposition Chief Whip in the Parliament Jainal Abedin Faruk said, "No MP, having any personal interest, was included in the parliamentary committees during our time." "It is a serious matter and I will enquire into it, if anybody, having personal interests, have been included during this time, he said.