Lawmakers of both treasury and opposition benches yesterday lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the question-answer session for what they said her strong leadership to hold the January 5 election and keep the country's democratic process on track.
The MPs were seen more interested in eulogising Hasina rather than placing questions in the first day's question-answer hour of the 10th parliament. This session is deemed a crucial parliamentary device to ensure transparency in government activities.
While some of the 25 MPs who asked questions were making statements, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury intervened and asked them to place questions.
“The January 5 parliamentary election was spontaneous. It has been possible due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's sincerity,” said opposition and independent MP Rustam Ali Farazi.
“People were living in a suffocating atmosphere before the polls. But after the January 5 election, peace prevailed in the country. I thank Jananetri Sheikh Hasina for holding the election,” said another opposition and independent MP, Haji Mohammad Selim
Lawmakers of the main opposition Jatiya Party Shawkat Ali and Pir Fazlur Rahman also glorified Hasina and congratulated her on becoming the premier for the third time.
MPs belonging to AL and its ally Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal joined in eulogising the PM.
“Jananetri Sheikh Hasina has been able to maintain the continuation of democracy in the face of hundreds of adversaries and death threats,” said AL MP Pankaj Debnath.
Hasina was present in parliament while all this was going on.
Experts have already voiced concern over the unprecedented character of the current parliament, in which Jatiya Party is playing a dual role and ensuring government's accountability.
Almost all the MPs' questions were centred on carrying out development activities in their constituencies like building and repairing roads, bridges, culverts, and stadiums. None of them spoke for strengthening the local government bodies, which are empowered to execute these development activities.  
Only Haji Selim, also an Awami League leader, was critical. He said bifurcation of the Dhaka City Corporation was okay but they way it was done had created an imbalance between the North and South in terms of their incomes. He demanded redrawing of the boundaries afresh. He also criticised the South DCC's failure to control the menace of mosquitoes.
Interestingly, State Minister for LGRD Moshiur Rahman Ranga was replying MPs' queries from the opposition bench. He belongs to the main opposition Jatiya Party but is one of the three lawmakers of JP to be inducted into Hasina's cabinet.
On behalf of LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, who was absent in parliament, Ranga replied MPs' queries on the LGRD ministry.
Another interesting thing happened when Ranga found almost all the supplementary questions on his ministry very important and avoided answering some of those by inviting MPs to meet him at his office to have a cup of coffee and discuss the issues.
Contrary to the normal practice, the Speaker was seen giving floor to MPs to ask supplementary questions following of a list. Usually, MPs willing to ask such questions raise their hands.