Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has clarified that the term “Chudur bhudur,” which caused an uproar in the parliament on June 3, was not “unparliamentary” and would not be expunged from the proceedings.
“It means dilly-dallying, so there is nothing wrong with the word,” she said. Chaudhury, who hails from Chatkhil of Noakhali, said the term was commonly used in the greater Noakhali and other parts of the country.
Parliament secretariat officials said the speaker researched the word before giving the ruling. A popular Bengali-daily in West Bengal, Ananda Bazar Patrika, says the word was widely used in Bangladesh’s Noakhali and across Indian district of Sabrome.
Referring to the Bangla Academy, the Ananda Bazar write-up says the word is very common, but not worthy of being formally used.
On June 3, in an unscheduled discussion, Rahana Aktar Ranu, a BNP MP elected from the women’s reserve seat, said, “Tottayabodhayok Sarkar loi chudur bhudur choilto naw [No dilly-dallying over caretaker government].”
The deliberation received massive protests from ruling party MPs. Taking floor, the ruling party whip ASM Feroz termed “Chudur bhudur, “a word of red light districts” and urged the speaker to expunge it from the proceedings.
Speaker told the House she would examine the word and drop it if found “unparliamentary.”
Ranu, who also hails from greater Noakhali (Feni), protested the whip’s remark. “Chudur bhudur means hanky-panky. The honourable MP claimed it was a word used in red-light areas. Does he go to such areas frequently?”