Abul cops JS flak
The Awami League-led ruling alliance lawmakers yesterday came down heavily on Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain for the crumbling roads and highways.
Speaking in parliament that went into the 10th session at 11:00am, they also decried the lack of coordination between the ministries.
While some were blasting the minister, others were thumping desks in support. Some shouted “shame, shame” over Abul Hossain's claim that none of the roads was unfit for vehicular movement.
The lawmakers said they are facing the wrath of their constituents for the sorry state of the roads.
The minister in his response said all roads would be repaired on availability of Tk 1,403 crore allocated for the purpose.
He criticised the finance ministry for not giving enough funds and for attaching strings.
At that point, Deputy Speaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, who was presiding over the sitting, interrupted him. He told the minister: “You are presenting the issue as if it's all about a conflict between the two ministries. Seek the prime minister's intervention or take it to the cabinet if there are any differences.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina entered the House towards the end of the hour-long slamming of Abul Hossain.
Earlier, soon after the day's question hour, dozens of MPs raised hands seeking permission to speak.
Senior AL lawmaker Tofail Ahmed said, “I talked about the dismal condition of roads and highways on February 5. I did that to help the government, not to bash it.
“I hear of many grandiose plans. Though 33 months have gone, there's no news of Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh four-lane highways. No elevated expressway can be seen, and the work of Padma Bridge has not even started.”
Rashed Khan Menon of Workers Party said, “Road communications between the capital and 12 districts were suspended. Yet, the minister maintained that not a single road was unsuitable for plying of the vehicles.”
If it were in a democratic polity, he added, the minister would have resigned shouldering all responsibilities.
Menon said that when Tofail Ahmed raised the issue in parliament in February, the minister brushed aside his observations.
Referring to the blame-swapping between the finance and communications ministers over funds, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu urged the prime minister to take action against the one responsible for the collapsing road network.
Suranjit Sengupta, another veteran parliamentarian from AL, pointed out lack of coordination in the way the cabinet functions.
Citing a constitutional provision, he said, “The cabinet is a collective body. Yet, the ministers speak against each other. It's unconstitutional.”
Independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim demanded the prime minister sack the inefficient ones from the cabinet.
Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujib-ul-Haque slated the transport boss for disruption to road communications between the capital and his district Kishoreganj.
Some MPs aired their grievances at the ministry's failure to ensure road safety.
They expressed shock at the deaths of acclaimed filmmaker Tareque Masud and media personality Mishuk Munier in a road crash in Manikganj recently.
AL lawmaker Tarana Halim demanded exemplary punishment to drivers responsible for road accidents.
As more MPs were queuing to join the assault, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid was seen trying to stop them. Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, however, stopped him doing so.
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