The opposition walked out of the National Parliament on Sunday in protest against two key human rights bills, accusing the government of backtracking on its promise to introduce stronger safeguards against rights violations and enforced disappearances.
Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman announced the walkout immediately before Parliament began the process of passing the National Human Rights Commission Bill and the Prevention and Redress of Disappearances Bill.
He said the opposition would not participate in passing legislation it considered weaker and more restrictive than the ordinances introduced by the previous interim government.
The confrontation marked the latest escalation of a dispute over the two laws.
When the bills were introduced on August 27, opposition MPs also walked out, arguing that they would not be part of a process that failed to address their core demands for reform.
The opposition subsequently boycotted parliamentary committee discussions on the bills.
It has accused the government of unilaterally repealing the interim government’s ordinances despite concerns raised by victims, stakeholders and domestic and international human rights organizations.
According to the opposition, the government had promised that stronger and more effective legislation would replace the ordinances but ultimately brought bills that weakened their provisions.
Taking the floor on Sunday before the bills were considered, Shafiqur reiterated that position.
“When the bills were lapsed by the Treasury Bench, it was said that they would bring them in a very strong and better form,” he said.
The opposition leader particularly objected to provisions in the proposed National Human Rights Commission law, arguing that they would create different standards for investigating ordinary citizens and members of law enforcement agencies.
“There cannot be a dual application of the law,” he said.
“State forces are employees of the state, but they are citizens of this country. It cannot be that one person can be directly investigated for the same crime, and another person will be stuck in another place.”
Shafiqur said the opposition had therefore decided not to lend legitimacy to the passage of the legislation.
“Since we have already decided that all these laws are being brought in a weak form by lapse, we will not be a partner in passing this law,” he said.
“We are not participating in the discussion of this law and we are now walking out.”
Opposition MPs then left the chamber.