Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has urged that the National Parliament must never become a platform for personal attacks or character assassination, stressing that it should remain a place for discussions focused on public welfare and justice.
“Parliament should not become a centre for the character assassination of any individual. In the past, personal attacks and attempts to malign individuals were often more common than discussions on issues of public interest,” he said.
Shafiqur Rahman made the remarks on Thursday while participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the National Parliament. The session was chaired by Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
Expressing hope for the current parliament, Shafiqur Rahman said it could serve as an effective platform to ensure public welfare and justice.
“This is not an ordinary parliament. It stands on the bloodshed of the July 2024 movement and revolution. Those who were persecuted over the past fifteen and a half years, and those who sacrificed their lives during the July movement, have created the opportunity for us to speak in this parliament today,” he said.
At the beginning of his speech, he xpressed gratitude to Almighty Allah and thanked the people of his constituency for electing him. He also paid deep tribute to the martyrs of the mass movements of 1947, 1952, 1971, 1975, and 1990.
He particularly remembered the victims of enforced disappearances, torture, and injustice over the past fifteen and a half years, as well as those who lost their lives during the July 2024 movement. He prayed for eternal peace for the martyrs and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
Addressing the Speaker, Shafiqur Rahman said parliamentary democracy had functioned effectively only for brief periods during the country’s 55 years of independence. For most of that time, he said, the country had been under fascism rule and parliament had largely functioned as a “dummy” institution.
He also remarked that many previous Speakers had failed to play an adequate role in safeguarding democracy and protecting the rights of the people.
He expressed hope that the current Speaker, who resigned from his party position after assuming office, would maintain neutrality.
“The people expect that there will be no discrimination between members of the government and the opposition,” he said, adding that justice and fairness should prevail in parliamentary proceedings.
Speaking about the environment in parliament, Shafiqur Rahman said discussions on public welfare, state development, and policymaking should be the primary focus.
“However, in the past, we have often seen that instead of policy debates, parliament became a place for personal attacks and insults,” he said, urging the Speaker to ensure that parliament never turns into a stage for personal attacks or character assassination.