Opposition BNP on Tuesday staged its fourth walkout from this session of parliament protesting the passage of a new anti-terror law, which would allow the courts to accept videos, still photographs, and audio clips used in Facebook, Twitter and Skype as exhibit.
At least 15 opposition MPs walked out of the House after the House adopted the Anti-Terrorism (amendment) Bill-2013.
Just before the passage of the bill, BNP MP Moudud Ahmed took the floor and led the opposition MPs out of the House after making a brief statement on the bill.
The House passed the legislative proposal by voice vote soon after.
Moudud said the bill was “solely aimed at suppressing” the opposition’s movement.
“This bill is not for checking terrorism, it is for suppressing the opposition. This will be identified as a black law in our history,” Moudud said.
Opposition returned to the House afterwards.
Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, who piloted the bill, rejected the opposition’s charges saying the proposed law aimed at making Bangladesh’s anti-terror act consistent with the UN resolutions on terrorism.
BNP MP Jafrul Islam Chowdhury said it was not clear why the government had come up with such an anti-terrorism law despite the prevalence of so many laws.
“It will pave the way for making the country a police state,” said AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon.
The opposition MPs joined parliament on June 3, the first day of the budget session.
In line with its election pledge of “zero tolerance” for violence, the Awami League government enacted the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009 and amended the same in 2012.
The original law stipulates capital punishment as highest punishment for terrorism and subversive activities depending upon the extent of the crimes.
This amended law stipulates that the police officer concerned will immediately inform the district magistrates about the occurrence of a crime that comes under the purview of the act and file cases against the persons or entity or foreign national.
