The Jatiya Sangsad saw a dull day on Monday with only a handful of cabinet members, who had sent letters to the prime minister six days ago expressing their “intent” to resign, attending what could be the last parliament session that resumed after a 10-day recess.
The sitting – about an hour before which eight new members of the interim cabinet took oath – looked devoid of its usual look because of the absence of opposition lawmakers and a good number of ruling party MPs.
The sitting started at 4:48pm – 18 minutes behind schedule – since there were not enough members at the Chamber on time.
Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Begum Matia Chowdhury, Rahmat Ali, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain and Fazle Rabbi Miah were seen at the front row. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was not there either.
Matia Chowdhury, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Meher Afroz Chumki were the ministers, who turned up in time. Gradually though, Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Nurul Islam Nahid, Sahara Khatun, Faruk Khan, Rezaul Karim Hira, Abdul Mannan Khan, Omor Faruk Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Mazibul Haque and Abul Maal Abdul Muhith entered the chamber before the House started its business.
Tofail Ahmed and Amir Hossain Amu, who took oath as members of the interim cabinet, were congratulated by the other MPS.
Suranjit Sengupta, the maiden minister without portfolio, and newly sworn-in ministers Rashed Khan Menon, Ruhul Amin Howlader and Mujibul Haque joined the House after the evening prayers.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, who presided over the sitting, tabled the scripts of the questions for the ministers.
Telecom Minister Sahara Khatun tabled the 2013-14 annual report of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.
Monday’s sitting saw three new bills – the Comilla University (amendment) Bill 2013, Barisal University (amendment) Bill 2013 and the Enrichment of Vitamin A in Edible Oil Bill 2013. The first two were sent to the parliamentary standing committee on education ministry.
According to the parliamentary rules, the House cannot pass the three laws sans the recommendation of the watchdog having representation of all major political parties.
The bill on vitamin A enrichment, if passed, would force the producers and businessmen to produce, market and sell edible oil containing vitamin A.
The House also enacted the Travel Agents (registration and control) Bill 2013 as Civil Aviation Minister Faruk Khan proposed its passage.
Suranjit Sengupta, chief whip Abdus Shahid, Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal, Fazlul Azim and Fazle Rabbi Miah spoke in unscheduled discussion.
The Speaker adjourned the House until 4:30pm on Tuesday.
Chief Whip Abdus Shahid told the Dhaka Tribune that the prime minister had expressed desires to prorogue the House on Wednesday.