Bad-mouthing in JS again
Yet again, the Jatiya Sangsad had to hear extremely vulgar and abusive words, thanks to two lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches.
There was pandemonium in the House for quite some time yesterday as ruling Awami League MP Fazilatunnesa Bappy and opposition BNP lawmaker Rehana Akhtar Ranu launched blistering attacks on the topmost leaders of their rivals.
Apart from repeatedly warning the lawmakers, both from reserved seats for women, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury switched off Ranu's microphone six times and
Bappy's twice.
Protesting the vulgar words, AL lawmaker M Abdul Latif refrained from taking part in the budget discussion and, in an unprecedented move, walked out of the sitting.
Prime Minister and AL chief Sheikh Hasina was present at that time while Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia was absent.
“I felt ashamed at the way abusive and unparliamentary language was used in the sacred House. Instead of taking part in the budget discussion, I am leaving this place to protest such bad mouthing,” Latif, who was elected from Chittagong, said.
As opposition MPs started clapping, a lamenting Latif told them, “Why you [opposition MPs] are clapping? I have not mentioned any particular party or any particular MPs name. You should be ashamed of what happened today in parliament.”
During her speech, staring around 6:30pm, BNP MP Ranu made derogatory comments on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wajed Joy and late husband Wajed Mia.
As the Speaker requested her to speak on budget, Ranu said, “You [Speaker] shouldn't play one-sided role…you're spineless …you will not find any single word in my speech to expunge from the proceedings.”
Angered at Ranu's comments, several ruling party MPs including Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, Sheikh Selim, Dipu Moni, Abdul Matin Khasru, Aslamul Haq, Joynal Abdin and Tarana Halim stood up and started shouting. It was around 6:42pm.
Aslamul Haq and Joynal Abdin even left their seats and approached the opposition bench. But other MPs stopped the duo.
Treasury bench MPs started shouting “shame, shame!”
Ranu, at one stage of her speech, said Wajed Mia had been tortured by his wife. The Speaker for the last time switched off the microphone and the stipulated 17 minutes for the lawmaker had expired.
Taking the floor around 7:15pm, Fazilatunnesa Bappy made offensive remarks on late president Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and their family. She also wanted to know about Khaleda's relationship with “the man who accompanies the opposition leader every time she goes to Saudi Arabia to perform umrah.”
In protest, the opposition lawmakers staged a walkout for around 10 minutes.
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