Staff Reporter
Parliament resumes its session this afternoon after two-day recess amid uncertainty of joining of the opposition lawmakers who boycotted the session over seat rearrangement by the Speaker.
“We are yet to decide whether we will join the session today. We are waiting to hear from the Speaker about the rearrangement of seats in the front row at his left side before taking a decision in this regard,” said Joynal Abedin Faruk, Chief Whip of the Opposition in Parliament.
On the other hand, Vice Principal Abdus Shahid, Chief Whip of the Treasury bench yesterday told reporters that the Speaker would take decision on the rearrangement of the seats in the House after consulting political parties concerned.
He, however, accused the former Speaker of creating the problem by arranging seats for the opposition lawmakers without consultation with the ruling party.
Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad yesterday observed that the government could allocate more seats to the opposition in front row of the House with a view to resolving the ongoing crisis.
“The seats in the parliament have been allocated to the ruling party and the opposition as per rules. If the prime minister wishes, she can arrange the seat planning defying the rules. As the parliament is the centre of all activities and people have a close eye on it. If two or one more seats will be allocated to the opposition, it will cause no harm,” he told reporters after visiting a Saraswati Puja assemblage at Government Homeopathy Medical College in the city yesterday.
He also observed that the crisis on the seat planning will have to be resolved to make the parliament pro-active, ATN Bangla, a private TV channel reports.
Meanwhile, Awami League presidium member and Deputy Leader of the House Zillur Rahman yesterday collected nomination paper to contest for the post of the President of the country.
On behalf of Zillur Rahman Chief Whip Abdus Shahid collected the nomination paper from the Election Commission.
“I have collected the nomination paper on behalf of Zillur Rahman. It will be submitted to Chief Returning Officer after filling up the nomination papers by the Deputy Leader of the House,” he said.
The President election is scheduled to be held on February 16. However, the next President may be elected on February 11, the last date for withdrawal of the candidatures, if no other candidate takes part in the election.
The Chief Whip hoped that the opposition would extend their cooperation in the election of the President.
Meanwhile, the special parliamentary committee, assigned to do the vetting of the 122 ordinances promulgated during the caretaker government, strongly suggested discarding matters that contravene the Constitution in enacting those into laws.
The committee yesterday held its meeting with its Chairman Advocate Rahmat Ali in the chair.
The committee started discussion and examination of the 122 Ordinances before placing those in the parliament as Bills.
The committee members felt the need for taking opinions of legal experts. The next meeting of the committee is expected to be held on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Barrister Shafique Ahmed and committee members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Salim, Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, M Sayedul Huq, M Fazle Rabbi Mia, Rashed Khan Menon, M Mojibar Rahman, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, MK Anwar, Abdul Matin Khasru, M Nurul Islam Sujan and on invitation Barrister Fazle Noor Tapash MP.
Law Secretary Kazi Habibul Awal and other officials concerned were present.
Courtesy: nation.ittefaq.com
