The parliamentary standing committee on the Law Ministry yesterday recommended cancellation of registration of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
The standing committee on Law, Justice and Parliament Chairman Suranjit Sengupta told journalists at a press conference at the media centre of the parliament.
“Parliament should have to be protected and NGOs should come into the purview of accountability,” he said.
Pointing his finger at the TIB, Suranjit said: “Crow should act like crow, crow could not act as peacock. TIB’s registration should be cancelled as it humiliated parliament.”
The veteran lawmaker said none of the NGOs has the right to criticize the parliament. “NGOs could be criticised. There are people, mass media, opposition party and also BNP to criticise the parliament but NGO cannot do it.”
He said the standing committee does not have any objection to TIB’s research report but it cannot term parliament Stage of Puppet Show and the opposition B team.
“As the organisation did not seek any apology, we recommended cancelation of its registration.”
Suranjit said detailed discussion took place on the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Bill, 2015.
He said the committee did not incorporate anything new to ensure the punishment of the NGOs.
He said civil society members will not be discouraged to criticise the parliament if action against TIB is taken.
“NGO’s are not watchdogs. People, media and the opposition party are the watchdogs. Any individual and NGO is not the same thing. They (NGO) have to be accountable.”