Before staging the walkouts, the AL lawmakers however blasted the government for allotting an official residence to former chief adviser to a caretaker government Justice Latifur Rahman and for its bid to amend the constitution.

Countering the AL lawmakers, the ruling BNP lawmakers blasted the former for raising the issues in the parliament as points of order.

Taking floor on a point of order AL lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said the government has allotted the official residence to Justice Latifur Rahman as an award for his contribution to vote rigging in 2001 general election. He demanded judicial probe into the allotment.

Referring to the law minister's claim that Justice Latifur Rahman was not allotted the official residence, the AL lawmaker said, "Justice Latifur in an interview published in a daily today said he will leave the residence this month. The law minister will have to apologise for his misleading information in the parliament," Selim, also AL presidium member, demanded.

In response, Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar however disallowed the point of order and maintained that there is no provision in the rules of procedure of the Jatiya Sangsad for seeking apology.

Immediately after the AL lawmaker, the speaker provided the floor to BNP lawmaker Mashiur Rahman, who blasted AL for using 'indecent words' about President Iajuddin Ahmed and for the opposition leader's 'refusal' to meet the president.

Taking floor on a point of order, AL lawmaker Mohammad Nasim explained the reason for not meeting the president and started blasting the government for amending the constitution.

The speaker however switched off Nasim's microphone saying the time was over and invited BNP lawmaker Ali Newaz Mohammud Khaiam to speak, prompting the AL lawmakers to protest and demand the floor.

Amid the AL lawmakers' protest, the BNP lawmaker blasted AL for labelling former president Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, and former chief election commissioner MA Syed as national traitors.

Soon after Ali Newaz, the AL lawmakers demanded the floor but the speaker refused and they walked out of the House.

After the Maghrib prayers the AL lawmakers again entered the House and asked for the floor but again they were refused, and they again walked out of the House.

Then the AL lawmakers held a news briefing where Suranjit Sen Gupta, Mohammed Nasim and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said the amendment to the constitution, that the government drafted and passed in the cabinet, does not conform to the ongoing democratic practice.

They will continue to protest the amendment as it is against the fundamentals of the constitution, they said.

The cabinet in its weekly meeting with Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the chair on Monday approved a draft bill to amend the constitution incorporating a provision for extending the time limit for holding by-elections for vacant parliamentary seats to 180 days from 90 days.

Section 4 of article 123 of the constitution provides for holding a by-election in a constituency within 90 days of its becoming vacant due to any reason. However, if it is not possible due to 'any act of God', 90 more days are allowed.

The draft amendment to the constitution (15th amendment), if passed, will be the second amendment to it during the current regime of the BNP-led alliance government.