TIB asked to apologise

MPs slam watchdog for study on JS, demand grilling by committee

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Several lawmakers of the treasury and opposition bench yesterday demanded that the Speaker summon TIB officials immediately to the House to question them for the organisation’s “derogatory remarks” on parliament.

Speaking on a point of order in the House, Awami League Lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta insisted that the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has to apologise before the nation within three days.

“Otherwise, parliament will suspend TIB’s name from the list of non-governmental organisations [operating in the country] during the passage of the Foreign Donations Act,” he said in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“You [the TIB] will have to pledge that you will never make comments on parliament and the country’s constitution.”

Suranjit said sedition charges should be brought against the TIB for its “derogatory statement” on the sovereign parliament.

Some of the lawmakers said the TIB’s main objective was to undermine Bangladesh, tarnish its image and create hindrance to the country’s progress.

On October 25, the TIB in a study said lawmakers’ participation in question-answer sessions and discussions on important notices was less in the current parliament.

And only six percent of 388 working hours had been spent on formulation and passage of 30 laws in 14 months, said the study based on the current parliament’s second to sixth session from June 2014 to July this year.

It also said the main opposition, the Jatiya Party, failed to play its due role in the present parliament.

Terming the JP so-called opposition, the TIB said the party was working as “B-team of the government”.

Talking to reporters on the same day, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed the present parliament a stage of puppet show.

He also put stress on the holding of an inclusive and credible election to make parliament effective.

Speaking on a point of order yesterday, Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad raised the TIB issue.

Lambasting the TIB, she questioned whether it had any jurisdiction to make such “derogatory remarks” on the opposition and the House.

“The TIB has undermined the country, its people, the constitution and the House by making the comment that the present parliament has become a stage of puppet show.”

She urged the TIB to analyse the activities of opposition MPs in parliament since the restoration of democracy in the country in 1991, and then make comments on the main opposition of the present parliament.

Source: The Daily Star