ALMOST 82 per cent of the lawmakers in the 11th parliament have assets worth more than Tk one crore. Of them, 32 per cent have assets worth more than Tk 5 crore. Out of 298 MPs elected, 182 are businessmen in profession. This status of the MPs shows that politics is not in the hands of general people rather millionaire and businessmen are now controlling the politics.
Civil Society platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) has said the current parliament has disproportionate representation of the citizens in terms of assets. In terms of income, 27 per cent of the MPs have an income of over Tk 1 crore, 18 per cent between Tk 50 lakh and 1 crore, 29 per cent between Tk 25 lakh and 50 lakh and 17 per cent between Tk 5 lakh and Tk 25 lakh. Only five per cent of the lawmakers had an income between Tk 2 and Tk 5 lakh while 1.34 per cent of them had an income of less than Tk 2 lakh.
The affidavit submitted to the Election Commission also showed that 61 per cent of the parliament is made up of businessmen and their number will be increasing in the future. Among the lawmakers, 13 per cent are lawyers, five per cent service holders, four per cent farmers and the rest belong to different professions. No doubt, the country’s politics is going into the hands of wealthy people while major political parties’ are gradually depending on the businessmen to ensure their victory.
In an ideal national parliament, there should be representation of all social, political, economic groups. If the parliament becomes a businessmen’s club it will create an adverse impact on traditional political system which actually concerned with human welfare.
We don’t oppose inclusion of businessman in the politics. Rather, we are happy that business people are showing interest in politics. But too much inclusion of business people ultimately may discourage the low-income group honest and professional politicians. The political parties should take the matter under consideration before nominating their candidates to ensure an ‘ideal political atmosphere’ in the parliament.
