Consider bail, please
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury yesterday called upon a court to consider releasing two opposition MPs so that they can participate in the upcoming budget session of parliament that begins tomorrow.
“It is the court's jurisdiction to release the two MPs. The matter will be settled legally,” she said, while talking to reporters after a programme of Lion's Club at a hotel in the capital.
BNP lawmaker Barkatullah Bulu was arrested at the gate of the BNP's Nayapaltan headquarters on May 16. MK Anwar, on the other hand, was jailed on May 27 by a Dhaka court after he surrendered in a case filed for making “derogatory comments” about a Swechchhasebak League leader.
Replying to a query, Shirin said the opposition MPs will be able to discuss their demands or anything they want once they return to the House.
“That is where I will be able to play my part,” she added. “But if the government and the opposition want the dialogue to take place outside parliament, they will have to take the initiative.”
Tomorrow is the 18th session of parliament. The opposition MPs will have to return to the House to save their membership as they have been absent from it for over 83 days on an average.
According to the constitution, an MP loses membership of parliament if he or she remains absent for 90 consecutive days without the permission of the Speaker.
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