The graft watchdog also called for amendment to the constitution to reduce the maximum period of absence from parliament sessions by MPs.
The recommendation was placed in the TIB report, titled ‘Parliament Watch’, released at a press conference at Brac Centre in the city.
Focusing on the factor that the main opposition BNP has so far boycotted 93 percent of the sitting days from the 8th to the 15th session of the 9th parliament, the report observed, “This culture of parliament boycott has no parallel to the democratic practices observed all across the globe. On one hand, it’s upsetting, and, on the other hand, it’s equally an indication of lack of respect to the vote and verdict of the people.”
In 2009, the main opposition was absent for 27 percent of the sitting days of parliament, though the absence rate got down in 2012 to 4 percent, said the report.
Although the opposition MPs were absent during most of the sitting days, the state had to suffer a cost of Tk 4,01,34,00 as pays on those days, the report said, adding that the estimated spending on a parliamentarian stands at Tk 3,558 a day.
Speaking on the occasion, TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said, “Boycott of parliament is not acceptable either from the political point of view, or from the aspects of democratic practices. The practice doesn’t exist in any other country in the world.”
He observed that the prolonged absence of the opposition from parliament reflects that politics in the country has gradually become something like a zero-sum game for the parties.
“When the party wins (election), the MPs consider parliament as a place of their uncontested dominance. When they lose, they take it for granted that there’s nothing left to do in parliament,” said the TIB chief.
In response to a query whether the report has some reflection on the causes shown by the opposition in support of the boycott, he said the causes were not studied.
“There’s no problem with the opposition walking out of parliament even 10 times a day. It’s widely practiced allover the world. But they can’t really boycott parliament… it’s quite upsetting and unprecedented in democratic practices allover the world,” he added.
TIB also recommends amending the section 67 of the constitution to reduce the provision of allowing an MP an absence of 90 sitting days without requiring the absentee to vacate the seat, said Iftekharuzzaman.
Considering the row over the formation of the next election-time government, he said both sides could find out an acceptable solution to the problem by forming a Parliamentary Consensus Committee for placing the arguments on the issue, which TIB proposed earlier.
The report, which will be submitted to the Speaker of Parliament, also pointed out that parliament over the last eight sessions had to endure a Coram crisis for 77 hours and 22 minutes.
As every minute in parliament sitting costs Tk 78,000, the cost incurred due to the Coram crisis over the last eight sessions stands at Tk 19,07,000 per day, it estimated.
The report also reveals that only seven out of the 51 parliamentary Standing Committees have complied with the restriction of holding at least one meeting a month over the last four years.
