The parliament's House Committee asked the parliament secretariat to evict the chauffeur of detained MP Golam Maula Roni, who had recently made headlines by beating up two television journalists, from his apartment that Jatiya Sangsad provided him.
The committee, which looks after the accommodation and other facilities of the MPs, also instructed the officials to evict all unauthorised people who are residing at the flats allotted to lawmakers strictly, as soon as possible.
"We learnt through our investigation that Mr Rony's chauffeur Nazrul lives in the apartment no 702 in building 2 at the Manik Mia Avenue, violating the accommodation rules. We have asked the officials to evict him from the there," Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, the committee head, told Dhaka Tribune after a meeting held at the parliament on Wednesday.
Before his arrest on July 24, Rony told Dhaka Tribune that his apartment remains locked.
Syed Ahmed, the additional secretary and secretary of the House Committee, told Dhaka Tribune that he visited Rony's apartment on July 19 and found the chauffeur living there.
The meeting highlighted the issue of illegal stay of outsiders in the government provided apartments, commonly known as Nam flats. In an article published on July 18 in a Bangla newspaper, Rony criticised the parliament secretariat by writing that the MPs having more power get the larger apartments. Referring to his article Abdus Shahid said Rony was allocated a 1,260 square feet apartment granting his application.
"So, his comments are invalid. However, the House Committee would not cancel the allotment of his apartment as he is entitled to live there as long as he remains an MP," he said.
"According to the MPs accommodation policy, the lawmakers would be allowed to stay in the apartments up to the next general election. The lawmakers failing to get elected in the 10th parliamentary polls must vacate their flats," added the chief whip.
He further said the candidates not taking part in the next polls must leave the apartments immediately after the Election Commission announces candidates for different constituencies.
Police arrested Awami League lawmaker Rony for assaulting two journalists of a private television channel on July 20. Other committee members, Jatiya Sangsad Whip ASM Feroz, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, AKM Abdul Awal and Saidur Rahman attended the meeting.