Staff Reporter :
The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Sunday said, the agreements signed with India during the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ongoing visit, should be placed in Parliament for discussion.
“The Bangladesh government did a job but people know nothing about it. Many things are not being made public. This is definitely unconstitutional. The agreements, which are not related to national security, should be discussed in Parliament,” the TIB said.
The TIB said this at a press conference titled “Parliamentwatch-10th Parliament: 7th to 13th Sessions” held at the Midas Centre in city.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, 59 international agreements were signed in 2015-’16 fiscal year, but those were not placed and discussed in Parliament. “We think the agreements signed with India this time and all other possible deals should be discussed in Parliament following the Constitution,” he said. The TIB said, effectiveness of current Parliament is still questionable as uses of vulgar and non-parliamentary words and quorum crisis remained unabated, main opposition still playing double role, it spent little time for legislative business, The TIB alleged in its latest report on Sunday.
It said, in 433 occasions MPs used vulgar and non-parliamentary words to the rivals of within the House and in 2101 occasions lawmakers used vulgar and non-parliamentary words to the rival parties not represented in the house, in between 7th and 13 sessions of the current 10th parliament.
“Exchange of vulgar and non-parliamentary words within the parliament took place between ruling Awami League and opposition Jatiya Party MPs and they both attacked Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its alliances who are now outside the Parliament,” it said.
Use of vulgar and non-parliamentary words has increased as during the entire tenure of 9th Parliament lawmakers used such words in 233 occasions and during tenure of 8th Parliament vulgar and non-parliamentary words were used for 654 occasions. Instances of non-parliamentary words to the rival parties not representing in the house were not found during the 8th and 9th Parliaments, said Juliet Rossette, TIB programme manager and one of the presenters of study at the press conference. There were lack of role from Speaker to stop using of vulgar and un- parliamentary words, said the report.
TIB Trustee Board Chairman Sultana Kamal and its Executive Director Ifthekharuzzaman both expressed concerns about using of vulgar and non-parliamentary words in the house, while talking at the press conference. We have many questions and enough doubt about effectiveness of current parliament, said Sultana Kamal. ‘Party known as opposition in the Parliament is trying to act as active opposition but their debatable double role in the House is continuing’ said Iftekharuzzaman.
