Awami League is going to form the government for the fourth consecutive term with an absolute majority in the 12th parliamentary polls, while there is no doubt that AL president Sheikh Hasina will once again become the leader of the parliament.
There is, however, confusion over who will be the leader of the opposition in the parliament.
As per tradition, the party with the second majority in the parliament acts as the opposition and the leader of the opposition is elected from that party, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumder told New Age on Tuesday.
‘But this time the situation is different. Jatiya Party won 11 seats as the second largest party after Awami League in Sunday’s
national elections. On the other hand, independent candidates have 62 seats,’ he said.
As there are more independent lawmakers than the second majority Jatiya Party, confusion has arisen over who will sit in the opposition seats.
About the opposition of the next parliament, law minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said that Jatiya Party would get priority as the opposition in the parliament if the independent candidates who have won in the 12th general election fail to join any party.
‘We will have to wait for some more time to be fully sure of the position of the independent lawmakers-elect,’ Anisul Huq told reporters at his Secretariat office.
‘To be the opposition, you have to have at least 10 per cent of the seats of the parliament’, the law minister said. Asked whether the independent lawmakers-elect could form a group, Anisul Huq said, ‘Why not? If they think they will form their own group instead of being with the government, of course they can do that.’
Replying to a query about his reaction to the United States’ statement that the 12th parliamentary polls were not fair and participatory, the law minister said, ‘We have always said that the election is fair and participatory when people cast their votes.’
‘You all saw that people cast their votes during this election and they participated with their full support.’
Anisul Huq said, ‘people have recognised this election as participatory. I don’t think we need anyone else’s recognition.’
Badiul Alam, however, said that according to the rules of the parliamentary procedure, independent lawmakers can make a caucus together and choose the leader of the opposition by consensus.
‘If they don’t want to, they will sit in the seat of the opposition party. That is very clear that the government should make a dummy or artificial opposition of the parliament,’ he said.
He also said that lawmakers who have been elected with boat symbol, the electoral symbol of AL, should not be allowed to sit at the opposition bench.
Two from Workers Party of Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal have been elected with the boat symbol.
Of the 62 who have won as independent candidates, all but two are associated with the Awami League politics.
When asked, incumbent AL lawmaker Pankaj Nath, elected as an independent lawmaker in Sunday’s polls, told New Age that he wanted to go back to AL.
‘But I have no hesitation to go to the opposition bench if Awami League president Sheikh Hasina asks me as she is my as well as Bangladesh’s guardian,’ he said.
AL reserved seat lawmaker Amatul Kibria Keya has been elected as independent lawmaker from Habiganj-1 in the 12th parliamentary election.
She told New Age that she would also follow the direction of AL president Sheikh Hasina.
‘I am a family member of Joy Bangla. I am Sheikh Hasina’s worker. Bangabandhu is my leader. I have no identity outside of this,’ she said.
On Monday, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader at a press conference said that prime minister Sheikh Hasina would take decision about the opposition.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will administer an oath ceremony for the lawmakers-elect at Parliament Bhaban today.
Jatiya Party, that initially told the media on Tuesday that they would not join in the ceremony, however, later on the day confirmed that they would join.
New Age
