Dhaka, March 10 (bdnews24.com)—It was back to business as usual in parliament on Wednesday with opposition BNP members staging two walkouts following remarks by treasury bench members, despite the speaker's strong words last week and MPs' vows to "behave".
The first walkout came in response to a comment by shipping minister Shahjahan Khan on the body of former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
"I do not want to speak of the dead body. Despite that, as the issue was raised, I will ask opposition friends to examine it. Then you can belie what Sheikh Selim said," Khan said, referring to a previously contentious statement by senior Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim on Zia's dead body.
Opposition members raised objections to the remark. They also loudly attacked the neutrality of the deputy speaker. Opposition chief whip Jainal Abdin Farrouque led them out only to return to the house five minutes later.
The deputy speaker said, "I could not understand why you left the house. If the honourable minister made any un-parliamentary remark, it will be examined and steps will be taken."
The second walkout came after a comment by another senior Awami League MP, Tofail Ahmed.
'WHO MADE MOEEN ARMY CHIEF?'
BNP MP Moudud Ahmed had earlier said that only the withdrawal of all "harassment cases" filed during the military-backed caretaker government against his party leaders could "make parliament effective", hinting at further parliamentary boycotts or non-cooperation by the opposition if the condition was not met.
While delivering a speech on the president's address, Moudud also proposed forming a judicial commission to investigate the actions of the former army chief General Moeen U Ahmed and other army officers who he said were responsible for the Jan 11 2007 regime change.
The former law minister in his 37 minute speech also alleged that some army officers during the two years of the caretaker government "plunged into corruption".
Tofail Ahmed also condemned Gen Moeen for bringing in emergency rule, but questioned Moudud's position. "General Ziaur Rahman was also a military ruler," said the AL MP.
Tofail also asked the opposition, "Who made General Moeen U Ahmed army chief superceding General Zahir? Who made Fakhruddin Ahmed the Governer of the Central Bank?"
This rhetoric prompted the BNP to walk out of parliament for the second time on Wednesday.
Earlier Moudud, who was arrested by the military-backed government of Fakhruddin Ahmed for possession of alcohol, had said that the "interim government was a conspiracy against democracy."
"They filed an extortion case against incumbent prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "She was prime minister: would she be involved in extortion?"
"The case was character assassination," Moudud said showing clippings of newspapers.
He said the interim administration filed "harassment cases" against politicians including the AL's Sheikh Selim, Abdul Jalil and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.
"The prime minister has herself told parliament that the cases were filed for purging the politicians.
"You are withdrawing all (harassment) cases against your leaders. But cases against our leaders remain," Moudud said.
'WITHDRAW CASES FOR BNP'S COOPERATION IN JS'
Before winding up his speech, the senior BNP politician leader said parliament could not be made effective without the cooperation of the opposition.
"To make parliament effective, the government will have to change its attitude towards the opposition, stop torturing its opponents, withdraw all harassment cases," said Moudud.
He also repeated other demands of BNP, including a halt to evicting the leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia from her Dhaka cantonment residence and to give her better security.
He also said the government must try Gen Moeen, Fakhruddin Ahmed, and other key figures of the military-backed caretaker government regime for violating the constitution, tarnishing the army's image and filing harassment cases against politicians.
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