AL, BNP lawmakers unite on privileges

Both the ruling and the main opposition party lawmakers plan to incorporate a provision regarding 'contempt of lawmakers' in the upcoming law to increase lawmakers' privileges.

The BNP and Awami League (AL) lawmakers yesterday at a sub-committee meeting of parliamentary standing committee on privileges decided to jointly prepare the draft of the law that will also provide the lawmakers with adequate legal protection.

The high-powered meeting asked two lawmakers from BNP and AL--Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Shiekh Fazlul Karim Selim--to prepare the draft of the bill in 15 days. The committee will sit again in a month to finalise the draft bill, sources said.

"We have discussed feasibility of contempt suit in case of a lawmaker being disregarded by media or law enforcement agencies," AL lawmaker Sheikh Selim, who attended the meeting as a representative of the Leader of the Opposition, yesterday told The Daily Star. "But we didn't yet take any decision in this regard," Sheikh Selim added.

Besides, the meeting discussed inclusion of a provision in the law of pension for lawmakers.

Indian parliament members are entitled to pension after the expiry of membership in parliament. "We will examine the [Indian] pension system before drafting the law," Selim said.

The meeting also discussed amendment to the current Warrant of Precedence to place the lawmakers above all government officials including Cabinet Secretary, Chief Election Commissioner and chiefs of armed forces.

The parliamentary standing committee on privileges led by the speaker at a meeting on January 18 decided to upgrade the privileges of the lawmakers and formed the sub-committee to make a draft for a law to that effect. Yesterday's meeting, held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, was the first meeting of the sub-committee.

Convenor of the sub-committee and Chief Whip Khandakar Delwar Hossain told The Daily Star that they have only started to discuss the issues. He however declined to elaborate.

Sub-committee member and BNP lawmaker Mizanur Rahman Minu was present at the meeting.

Prime Minister's parliamentary affairs adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury attended the meeting as a representative of the prime minister.