Several lawmakers of the treasury and opposition bench yesterday
demanded that the Speaker summon TIB officials immediately to the House
to question them for the organisation's “derogatory remarks” on
parliament.
Speaking on a point of order in the House, senior Awami League
Lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta insisted that the Transparency International
Bangladesh (TIB) apologise to the nation within three days.
“Otherwise, parliament will suspend TIB's name from the list of
non-governmental organisations during the passage of the Foreign
Donations Act. In that case, even the prime minister will not be able to
do anything,” he said in the presence of PM Sheikh Hasina.
“You [the TIB] will have to pledge that you will never make comments on parliament and the country's constitution.”
Suranjit said sedition charges should be brought against the TIB for its “derogatory statement” on the sovereign parliament.
Some of the lawmakers said the TIB's main objective was to undermine
Bangladesh, tarnish its image and impede the country's progress.
On October 25, the TIB in a study said lawmakers' participation in
question-answer sessions and discussions on important notices was less
in the current parliament.
And only six percent of 388 working hours had been spent on
formulation and passage of 30 laws in 14 months, said the study based on
the current parliament's second to sixth session from June 2014 to July
this year.
It also said the main opposition, the Jatiya Party, failed to play its due role in the present parliament.
Terming the JP a so-called opposition, the TIB said the party was working as “B-team of the government”.
Talking to reporters on the same day, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed the present parliament “a puppet theatre”.
Speaking on a point of order yesterday, Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad raised the TIB issue.
Lambasting the TIB, she questioned whether it had any jurisdiction to
make such “derogatory remarks” on the opposition and the House.
“The TIB has undermined the country, its people, the constitution and
the House by making the comment that the present parliament has become a
stage of puppet show.”
She urged the TIB to analyse the activities of opposition MPs in
parliament since the restoration of democracy in the country in 1991,
and then make comments on the main opposition of the present parliament.
Taking part in the discussion, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said the TIB had no jurisdiction to make such remarks.
The TIB launched the study report right after two foreigners were
killed and some foreign missions overreacted to the murders, he said.
“TIB's only aim was to create obstacles to the country's advancement.
“I urge the Speaker to summon immediately TIB officials to the
Privilege Committee of the House so that we can question them on the
source of the organisation's income and expenditure,” he said.
The main objective of organisations like the TIB is to humiliate Bangladesh internationally, added the senior AL lawmaker.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, AL MP Abul Kamal Azad, Jatiya
Party MP Kazi Feroz Rashid, JSD MP Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal and
independent MP Rustam Ali Farazi also blasted the TIB.
