Members of both the treasury and opposition benches in Parliament on Sunday lashed out at BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman for their assertions that Ziaur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh.
Standing on a point of order, the MPs demanded that a censure motion be brought in the House and sedition cases be filed against Khaleda Zia and Tarique as per the Constitution.
Jasad MP Mainuddin Khan Badal opened the heated debate as the parliament session resumed in the afternoon.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Awami League MP Suranjit Sengupta, opposition chief whip Tajul Islam, Jatiya party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid, among others, took part in the nearly two-hour unscheduled discussion.
They alleged that Khaleda Zia distorted the history and defamed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through her propaganda.
Amir Hossain Amu said the politics Khaleda Zia does is not only against Awami League or Sheikh Hasina it is also against the country’s independence and sovereignty.
“Obviously, there’s a scope of bringing her to book as per the Constitution. I would like to draw the attention to this,” he said.
Suranjit Sengupta said cases should be filed as per the constitution against Khaleda Zia and other BNP leaders for their remarks about the country’s first president. “Those who deliberately distort the history won’t be spared. There’s no scope to take the remarks lightly. If anyone breaches the Constitution, s/he can be tried on sedition charges.”
Echoing Suranjit, Tofail Ahmed said, “Khaleda Zia has gone mad following her frequent (political) defeats. Let alone ousting the government through a mass upsurge, you (Khaleda) won’t be able to get your demand for a fresh election materialized from Sheikh Hasina through waging a mass movement. You had employed your maximum strength to resist the January 5 elections, but failed,” he said.
The day is not so far away when Khaleda Zia will have to stand in the dock for killing innocent children, women and people in the name of movement before the January elections, he added.
Pointing at Khaleda Zia, Abdul Latif Siddiqui said the Parliament has the right to summon anyone and seek explanation for carrying out falsehood.
Mainuddin Khan Badal said what the remark Khaleda Zia made is tantamount to sedition.
Matia Chowdhury said BNP was born through falsehood and they do politics of falsehood.
Opposition chief whip Tajul Islam said those who create history do not distort it.
Source: UNBConnect
