Lawmakers turn lawbreakers

They are lawmakers. Yet they took the law into their own hands.

Of late, some ruling party MPs have beaten up a teacher, party workers and threatened and verbally abused a government officials, forgetting their primary job of standing by the people and enacting laws.

Their unruly and aggressive behaviour generated outrage even within the party, besides hogging the headlines and touching off social media firestorms.

The Daily Star has information on six such instances where MPs crossed all limits. The case in point can be the latest occurrence involving AL MP Razee Mohammad Fakhrul.

On Saturday, the Cumilla-4 (Debidwar) lawmaker allegedly punched and kicked Debidwar Upazila Chairman Abul Kalam Azad during a meeting at the LD Hall of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, stirring up resentment among the party grassroots.

Three AL leaders of Cumilla present in the meeting -- Raushan Ali Master, AKM Shafiqul Alam and Mehdi Hasan -- confirmed this while talking to The Daily Star.

They alleged that Fakhrul publicly beat up Abul Kalam over the formation of the party committee for Elahabad union under Debidwar upazila.

Raushan Ali, general secretary of Cumilla north AL, said when the names of president and secretary of Elahabad union AL were announced, the lawmaker became furious as Abul Kalam supported the committee.

Mehedi, a member of Cumilla north AL who was sitting close to the MP, said, "All of a sudden, he [Fakhrul] swooped on Abul Kalam and started kicking and punching him on his leg, neck, nose and head repeatedly."

Senior AL leaders also condemn such incidents and admit that the activities of a few errant lawmakers are damaging the party's image.

Abdur Razzaque, AL presidium member and agriculture minister, told this newspaper that the AL is a large political party and many of its MPs are engaged in "different types of activities".

"But we will take stern action if any leader of the party -- be it an MP or anyone, are found engaging in unlawful activities and damaging the party's image," he said.

The senior cabinet member also said, "We will not consider whether the person is an MP or holding a post in the party while taking actions against him/her."

When his attention was drawn to the recent assault of Rajshahi college principal Salim Reza by AL MP Omar Faruk Chowdhury on July 7, Razzaque said, "This is not acceptable at all if anyone -- be it an MP -- violates the law."

After denying the incident at a press conference held by the lawmaker, Salim Reza admitted to a probe committee that the incident did take place at the MP's office.

It generated huge criticism, including from opposition MPs.

Mujibul Haque Chunnu, secretary general of the main opposition in parliament Jatiya Party, said such activities of ruling party MPs are totally objectionable.

"This was nothing but a heinous act. I have no words to criticise … ." said Chunnu.

"MPs are responsible persons. They are the makers of law. How can an MP beat and assault a teacher?" he questioned.

AL leaders and their MPs have been blinded after remaining in power for long stretch, added the JP leader. "They don't care about people ... ."

Another incident that got media attention was the one involving Awami League MP Nadira Yasmin Jolly, elected to a reserved seat for women in parliament.

On March 8, the MP in Pabna allegedly threatened to slap the district's women affairs officer because the invitation for an International Women's Day programme reached her late.

When it comes to beating up people, Awami League MP from Barguna-2 Shawkat Hasanur Rahman Rimon made no discrimination.

Rimon has beaten up a former Chhatra League leader, a government employee, a local youth, and assaulted and hurled abuse at a female lawyer and an activist of Mohila Awami League on different occasions.

Jhenaidah-4 lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar has been accused of assaulting two assistant professors of Kaliganj Government Mahtab Uddin College in Jhenaidah on May 19 this year.

The lawmaker slapped Mosharraf Hossain, assistant professor of physics department, and Sajjad Hossain, assistant professor of mathematics department, several times claiming that the teachers are involved with Jamaat politics.

Principal of the college Prof Mahbubur Rahman also filed a written complaint to the superintendent of police in connection with the incident.

Faridpur-4 lawmaker Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, known as Nixon Chowdhury, hurled abuse in a phone conversation with Jasmin Sultana, Faridpur's Charbhadrasan Upazila Nirbahi Officer, and threatened to give "fitting reply" to Atul Sarkar, deputy commissioner of Faridpur.

The MP did this after the assistant commissioner (land) of Bhanga arrested one of his activists for violating the election code of conduct on the day of by-election to chairman post of Charbhadrasan Upazila Parishad on October 10, 2020.

Asked about such unruly behaviour of AL MPs, Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said such infighting-driven unruly behaviour of a section of political leaders including public representatives is nothing new, though the recent incidents indicate an increasing trend of unabashed ruthlessness.

"It must be deeply embarrassing for our political leaders who are struggling to uphold decent, democratic and pro-people values and practices of politics, though [they are becoming] increasingly isolated."

He also said the key issue is the growing reality that political affiliations and positions are treated as a licence for reaping the benefits of a zero-sum game through abuse of power.

"With the increasing monopolisation of the political space, it is about an internal turf-war in which the winner takes all. It goes on unabated because there is hardly any scope of accountability which is ominous for the future of our political parties."

Talking to The Daily Star, Prof Tofail Ahmed, a local government expert, said MPs are being informally involved in different matters, which they should never do so as lawmakers.

For example, he said, MPs are intervening in college affairs. People, who are becoming victims of their unnecessary interventions, raise their voices against them and subsequently face their wrath.

"It's a manifestation of uncultured and intolerant leadership," he said, adding that this kind of leadership cannot tolerate dissenting opinions.

Contacted, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said some incidents are being reported by the media in a wrong way, as opponents give incorrect information to journalists.

He, however, said the whole society has become intolerant and people sharply react even to silly matters. And his party will take organisational actions if any leader, including MPs, gets engaged in unlawful and unjust activities.