Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar instead of going into the day's business allowed the unscheduled congratulatory discussion to take place at the beginning of the sitting. Whereas the question-answer session should have been held first as the rules of procedure of Jatiya Sangsad says unless the speaker otherwise directs, the first hour of every sitting shall be available for the asking and answering of questions.

The speaker did not say anything about the fate of question-answer session; rather he just let the lawmakers felicitating the prime minister, delaying the question-answer.

The session, which began amid boycott by the main opposition Awami League (AL), will continue till November 24 with only five workdays as decided by the Business Advisory Committee.

The speaker initiated the unscheduled discussion by congratulating the Leader of the House Khaleda Zia while delivering his welcome address at the beginning of yesterday's sitting.

"I congratulate Prime Minister and Leader of the House Khaleda Zia for making the Saarc summit a success and being elected its chairperson," Jamiruddin said.

By adopting an obituary reference and nominating a panel of chairmen as per the rules of procedure, the speaker attempted to enter the day's scheduled business, but Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman took the floor to congratulate the prime minister.

Sircar also allowed the lawmakers of both factions of Jatiya Party (JP) to participate in the discussion. Among others, JP (Ershad) lawmaker Rawshan Ershad and Anwar Hossain Manju, the lone lawmaker of another faction of JP, spoke on the occasion.

However, as JP (Ershad) lawmaker Golam Habib Dulal was drawing comparisons between the contributions of former presidents Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad to establishing the Saarc, a number of senior ministers interrupted him and the speaker switched off his microphone.

"Ziaur Rahman initiated steps but he could not complete the process of forming the Saarc. It was HM Ershad who had accomplished the job," the lawmaker continued amid protests by the ruling party lawmakers.

Amidst the ruckus, the speaker turned the microphone off and entered the day's business and began question-answer session.

OPPOSITION ACCUSATIONS AGAINST SPEAKER
The main opposition AL lawmakers who have been boycotting parliament since last year yesterday reiterated their accusations against the speaker of bias in running the House.

They also accused the speaker of flouting the rules of procedure by allowing an unscheduled discussion at the beginning of the sitting.

"Jamiruddin Sircar has violated the rules of procedure by allowing the lawmakers felicitating the prime minister for holding the Saarc and being elected its chairperson," Deputy Leader of the Opposition Abdul Hamid told a press briefing yesterday.

Hamid said the speaker lost his neutrality also by congratulating the prime minister. "Sitting in a neutral chair, he [the speaker] cannot congratulate the prime minister and describe the Saarc summit as successful when we are saying the summit was nothing but a sheer waste of public money," Hamid argued.

"The speaker runs the House, following the directions from the treasury bench," he added.

The opposition leader termed farce the speaker's initiative to bring the AL lawmakers back to parliament.

AL lawmakers Motahar Hossain, ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury and Abul Hye were present at the briefing held at Hamid's office in parliament building.