Lawmakers from both the treasury bench and the opposition yesterday condemned a recent statement by Transparency International Bangladesh that criticised Jatiya Party’s role in the House and commented on the possible duration of the ongoing parliament.
Taking the floor of the parliament in an unscheduled discussion, treasury bench lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim questioned the Berlin-based watchdog’s authority in making such a statement.
On Tuesday, TIB said Jatiya Party was unable to play the role of the opposition in the parliament, adding that it expected the 10th parliament to not run its full term.
Demanding a ruling from the Speaker, Selim said TIB had crossed a limit in making such statements, as it was not their task to look into such matters.
“TIB cannot make such statements about the parliament and the government, as it is a non-government organisation,” he said, adding that the organisation had come up with a statement similar to the ones made by BNP chief Khaleda Zia after failing to foil the national poll.
“If they [TIB] want to make such statement, they can form a political party to join the 19-party alliance,” the lawmaker said.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was the opposition leader in the 9th parliament, had also termed the current parliament as a “House without the opposition.”
Selim, also a presidium member of ruling Awami League, further questioned TIB’s demand for a fresh election, asking whom the organisation wanted to please with the statement.
The ruling party MP also said the incumbent government had assumed office for five years and it would not step down before completion of its full tenure.
He also requested the finance minister to look into the luxurious lifestyle of civil society members and place a report before the House in this regard.
Meanwhile, taking the floor, Jatiya Party lawmaker Anisul Islam Mahmud told the House that TIB might want violence in the country.
“It [TIB] did not make any statement on the BNP’s poor presence in the House as opposition. The organisation did not issue statements when people were killed in the name of their movement,” said Anisul, also the water resources minister.
Claiming that the opposition was a part of the government, he said: “Now scope has been created to protest in the cabinet.”
Drawing the attention of the speaker, the minister said: “The organisation has been engaged with constructive activities in other countries, but its activities in this country are questionable.”
Another lawmaker of Jatiya Party, Shawkat Chowdhury, also criticised TIB for its statement.
“The whole nation has been aware about the activities of the TIB. Wearing tin-made glasses over their eyes, they want the country to be destroyed,” he said.
Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, who was chairing the session, also said the statement by TIB was regrettable.
