Deputy speaker from opposition, no chance for war criminals

Abdus Shahid, who was picked to be chief whip by prime minister, said the nation would not accept any war criminal as the deputy speaker of the parliament if the opposition party proposes such name.
"The nation will not accept any war criminal as the deputy speaker as the nation has rejected them in the December 29 polls," Shahid said while briefing the journalists at his residence yesterday.
The opposition party will have to wait until the first day of the first session of the Jatiya Sangsad, called by President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed on January 25, he said.
"We all agree with the proposal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to give the post of deputy speaker to the opposition party though the speaker and deputy speaker would be elected in the parliament's first session," he said.
Shahid said if BNP can play a responsible role in the parliament as opposition, the government will provide all necessary facilities to it.
Meanwhile, opposition party BNP sources said it is yet to receive any formal proposal of the deputy speaker from the ruling party.