Not considered for ministerial job, they will now miss front row in JS
Rashidul Hasan
Some of the old guards of Awami League (AL), who were excluded from the cabinet of ministers, might also not get the privilege of sitting in the front row of the treasury bench in parliament, according to party insiders.
The front row having only 29 seats might be allotted to some top leaders of the grand alliance and to a number of ministers, although most of the ministers are junior leaders, the sources added.
Curiosity is abound in the ruling party about what kind of sitting arrangements will be made for senior party lawmakers and presidium members like Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil, Suranjit Sengupta, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim — other than the last two, all of whom are by now widely known as ‘failed reformists’.
Many senior lawmakers were not picked for the cabinet by AL President also Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, reportedly due to their ‘dubious roles’ during the last two year’s military backed caretaker government’s regime, the party insiders said.
The sitting arrangement of the ruling party lawmakers will be finalised in a couple of days in consultation with the leader of the house, Sheikh Hasina, as the inaugural session of the parliament is scheduled for Sunday, sources in the Parliament Secretariat said.
“We are working on the sitting arrangement of lawmakers,” newly appointed Chief Whip Abdus Shahid told The Daily Star in his office yesterday.
The front and second rows of the treasury bench are comprised of only 65 seats.
Shahid, who was appointed the chief whip on Tuesday by President Iajuddin Ahmed, passed a busy day yesterday chalking out the orders of the opening session.
He said all out steps will be taken to make the parliament functional and effective from the very beginning.
Parliament Secretariat officials are also passing busy days preparing for the opening session.
Till yesterday newly elected lawmakers submitted 600 notices, seeking answers on different issues.
The officials started sending the questions to ministries concerned requesting written answers, which will be placed in the parliament during the question-answer session.
They are also working on the question-answer session for the prime minister, which is scheduled for Wednesday, the sources added.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
