DEPUTY Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah on Wednesday adjourned the budget session of parliament at mid-day after two hours through the opening of the day’s business to start discussion on the new budget. He blamed the absence of MPs on the floor saying it is indeed regrettable that no name from the opposition MPs was submitted and that many ruling party lawmakers present in the House were also not willing to speak. It was the first day discussion on the budget following its tabulation to the House last week by the Finance Minister. It is not enough for the Speaker to be disappointed for the reason that members of the parliament do not take their duties seriously. He knows the kind of men and women chosen to be members of the parliament. They are chosen mostly for money consideration and not because of their law making ability. Then they are the most important persons for protecting the business interest of present day politics. They also know they are not answerable to the people, not being elected by the people. More important than anything else is the opposition-less parliament. The members are not for critically scrutinizing the budget. The parliament is a non-functional parliament existing for making democracy non-functional. We feel discussion on budget is futile when the government has no accountability to the people to serve the people. Let the government prove successful in implementation of budget, when the government has very little or no control over the law and order situation. When the government is steeped in corruption. When many say that mega projects shall help mega corruption and many of them will prove colossal waste of public money for private gains. The general public will only suffer greater financial hardship. It appears from the Dy. Speaker’s disclosure that ruling party and the MPs of the so-called opposition are not taking seriously debates on the budget. We understand his disappointment, but he is not being realistic. Blaming the MPs is not rightly placed.
