Terming the use of indecent and un-parliamentary words in parliamentary debates heinous, Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday said the country’s two top leaders need to take initiatives to put an end to such low taste practice.
“It’s heinous … it’s violation of the Constitution. The nation is being humiliated with it. The two top leaders (Hasina-Khaleda) will have to take the initiative to stop it,” TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman told UNB over phone.
He said the leaders – Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia – can discuss the matter both in the House and in their party forums for getting rid of this bad practice.
“I’m sure exchange of such vulgar words will come to an end within two days if the two leaders asked the MPs in the toughest language to stop using such swearing words,” he said.
The TIB chief said the two benches — the opposition and the treasury benches — were seen encouraging the MPs who used the vulgar words thumping their desks. “This is not happening individually, it’s happening on party basis.”
He observed that the MPs are mainly using these words tagging family members of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. “So, this burden goes on their shoulders.”
Iftekharuzzaman said the Constitution provides equal rights and freedom to each person regarding birth and identity, and there is no scope to undermine anybody. “But this way, their rights are being undermined.”
He voiced deep concern saying the children and the future generation who are going to be the country’s future leaders are supposed to learn from them, but they are getting deprived of that.
There was a time, he recalled, when debates in parliament was a matter of watching or listening together at the family level, but these days things have taken a turn for the worse.
The TIB chief also said the people abroad are also getting a negative image about Bangladesh as these issues are being reported through English newspapers and spread through youtube.
A number of MPs from the both benches have used vulgar words involving Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia and their family members in Parliament over the last two weeks.
On Monday, a treasury bench member urged the Speaker to take stern action against the MPs using vulgar and un-parliamentary words in Parliament undermining the dignity of the House and 350 lawmakers.
“Madam Speaker, you’ve the right to expel any MP permanently. I won’t ask you to take such serious action. I propose expelling those using vulgar words for one day at least from the House and fining Tk 30,000 for expunging each un-parliamentary word,” Awami League MP Zunaid Ahmed Palak (Natore-3) said.
He made the proposal in Parliament taking the floor on `personal clarification’ under rule 274 saying that Tk 30,000 of hard-earned public money is being spent for each minute of discussion in the House.
Meanwhile, the opposition BNP has extended its support to the proposal of penalty for badmouthing in parliament.
“The treasury bench members are making derogatory and defamatory remarks against our party leaders. Now their MPs are saying that it should be stopped. Even one of them proposed fining Tk 30,000 for making such disparaging and aggressive remarks. We fully support it,” said senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed said on Tuesday.
Source: UNBConnect
