An all-party parliamentary watchdog Tuesday recommended that the government does not allow any political party to hold any programmes in the country’s commercial centres.
The finance minister had hinted earlier that the government may ban political activities in Motijheel after the radical Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam destroyed business establishments in and around Bangladesh’s chief financial hub.
While discussing the risks of allowing political programmes in Motijheel, the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry observed that “the BNP-Jamaat backed group Hefajat-e-Islam’s vandalism had rendered many businessmen bankrupt.”
“Not only in Motijheel. We think the government must not allow any political parties to hold programmes in any commercial centre in the country for the sake of smooth business activities,” Abul Kashem, the committee chairman, told reporters after the meeting at the parliament building.
“Motijheel houses the headquarters of the central bank and other commercial banks; there could have been a major disaster on May 5,” he said, referring to Hefazat’s rally.
The lone opposition representative in the 10-member standing committee, BNP MP Rumana Mahmud, backed the committee’s recommendation.
Kashem said he would send the recommendation to the commerce ministry which would communicate the matter to the home ministry.
On Sunday, the home minister and the local government minister said the government may ban all political activities for the next month, sparking reaction from the opposition and civil society groups.
But the home ministry denied putting a ban on political activities.
“Hefazat-e-Islam, under provocation from BNP and Jamaat, carried out arson on many businesses in the Baitul Mokarram
National Mosque premises,” MP Abul Kashem said.
He said Hefazat activists had also looted some shops.
Recommendations on MLM law
Kashem said his committee had recommended that the commerce ministry finalise the proposed law aimed at banning the banking activities of multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. He said the law was in the law ministry for vetting before being placed before parliament.
“The 129 MLM companies have been swindling billions from people in the name of banking activities. We need a law to stop this immediately,” he said.
Committee members Tipu Munshi, Sk Afil Uddin, Begum Tahura Ali and Abdul Latif attended the meeting at the parliament building.