Upset by frequent use of indecent and vulgar words in parliament, former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru yesterday said the languages used by some lawmakers are not even used in the "red-light district".
"Stop live broadcast of the parliament proceedings. No gentleman's family now wants to watch parliament proceedings on TV. Those irrespective of the treasury and opposition benches who used indecent words will have to make public apology," a lamented Khasru continued.
Khasru, also chief of a parliamentary body, took the floor to speak on the thanksgiving motion on the president's address after the BNP-led opposition staged a stormy walkout.
They staged the noisy walkout at 7:20pm protesting against a citation from the High Court's verdict on the trial of Col Abu Taher and some other freedom fighters.
The opposition lawmakers however returned to the House after 20 minutes.
In the full House, Khasru, a senior ruling AL lawmaker, said an MP can launch an attack on opponent using decent words and in a decent way.
"Weight of such decent words is a thousand pounds.
But we don't realise it. We have to learn language. Why will people use the word 'honourable' before our names if we use such indecent words in the House?" Khasru asked.
Both the treasury and opposition bench lawmakers maintained pin-drop silence while Khasru was expressing his anguish for frequent use of indecent words in parliament for last couple of days.
Speaker Abdul Hamid has been repeatedly urging and requesting the lawmakers not to use abusive and aggressive words.
Even prior to resuming yesterday's discussion on the thanksgiving motion, the speaker again urged the lawmakers to cooperate with him to run the House.
"For God's sake, help me run the House fairly," the speaker said.
But like the previous days, a number of lawmakers did not pay heed to the speaker's call.
WALKOUT
Taking part in the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the president's address, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu referred to yesterday's HC verdict that declared illegal and unconstitutional the trial of Col Taher and some other freedom fighters by a military tribunal in 1976.
The court said the trial and execution of Taher was a cold-blooded assassination, which was masterminded by late president Ziaur Rahman.
In reference to the HC's observation, Inu said Ziaur Rahman was a "cold-headed killer".
His remark triggered huge protests in the opposition bench. Main opposition BNP lawmakers stood on their feet and started shouting in protest and demanded that the remark should be expunged.
Amid noisy and stormy protests by the BNP-led opposition lawmakers, Speaker Abdul Hamid said the word killer was expunged. He urged the opposition lawmakers to take their seats and allow the lawmaker to complete his speech.
But the opposition lawmakers did not pay heed to the speaker's call and went on shouting. Even they sped up shouting and some of them started chanting slogans against Inu without microphone.
A number of BNP lawmakers were chanting slogans against Inu. Five MPs elected to the reserved seats for women in parliament were seen leading the slogans.
"We will flay Hasanul Haq [Hasanul Haq er chamra tule nebo amra]" the chanting went on.
Interestingly, two other female lawmakers of BNP -- Hasina Ahmed and Rumana Mahmood, who were elected from Cox's Bazar-1 and Sirajganj-2 constituencies respectively, remained silent.
Amid their noisy protests, JCD lawmaker Inu sought the speaker's protection saying he was feeling insecure as his seat was near the opposition bench.
"The court used the word, what can I do now?" the speaker questioned. He, however, expunged the word "killer" to defuse the opposition protests.
But they did not take their seats, rather left their seats. Some of them came in front of the speaker's podium. A lawmaker even threw papers in the air.
A number of treasury bench lawmakers also tried to shout the opposition lawmakers out, triggering a brief pandemonium in the House.
Finally, the opposition lawmakers walked out of parliament at 7:20pm and returned after 20 minutes.