JS session resumes today
Staff Correspondent
The BNP-led opposition is unlikely to return to parliament today as their demand for three more seats in the front row might not be met before resumption of House proceedings this afternoon after a two-day recess. The row over seating arrangements could not be resolved as both the Treasury Bench and the Opposition stick to their stances.
Chief Whip of Parliament Abdus Shahid said they have nothing to do about the opposition’s demand. “They have already been given five seats including one for the LDP chief in the front row,” Shahid told The Daily Star.
The BNP-led opposition remained absent in House proceedings since Wednesday demanding three more seats in the front row as a condition to return to parliament.
“There is no reason to return to parliament if the Speaker does not meet our demand before resumption of tomorrow’s House proceedings,” BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury told The Daily Star last night.
However, Chief Whip of Opposition Joynal Abedin Faruk said they will sit today to decide whether to return to parliament or not if their demand is not met.
Party insiders said the possibility of BNP’s joining today’s session is little if their demand is not met.
A delegation of opposition lawmakers led by MK Anwar on January 29 met the Speaker at his office and placed the demand.
The opposition sought three more seats in the front row to increase the number of their seats to eight including one for the lone lawmaker of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
The treasury bench earlier got annoyed as the then speaker Jamiruddin Sircar overruled the chief whip’s seating arrangement and made a new arrangement for the opposition a day before the parliament session began.
According to Sircar’s seating arrangement, BNP lawmakers got the front 10 seats in the opposition bench. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chief Col (retd) Oli Ahmed was also given a seat in the first row of opposition bench.
The ruling Awami League opposed Sircar’s arrangement saying it was disproportionate to the number of seats won by the opposition.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
