Sangsad sees debate on opposition role

The Jatiya Party will stage a walkout from the House or resign from the cabinet, if necessary, to protest the government's anti-people stance, a JP state minister said in parliament yesterday.
During a debate over the opposition role, State minister for Labour and Employment Mojibul Haque Chunnu said his party would appreciate the government's good performance and criticise it when necessary.
“If required, we will resign from the cabinet or stage a walkout from the House protesting the government's anti-people stance.”
Independent lawmaker Rustom Ali Farazi initiated the debate if the opposition party would be able to play its due role while it is also in the cabinet.
He said parliament would be more effective if the independent lawmakers play the role of the opposition. Rustom sought guidelines from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard.
Then Mojibul Haque Chunnu took the floor. He said there is no constitutional bar to participating in the government form the opposition bench.
Chunnu bitterly criticised former opposition BNP for enjoying all benefits after its continuous boycott of the JS sessions.
Joining the debate, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said it is not the opposition party's role to oppose everything.
“We have no objection if the opposition plays its due role,” she said. But it doesn't have to encourage terrorism, militancy and anarchy or patronise anti-liberation forces, the veteran leader added.
After question-answer session, independent lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim, also the ruling AL's Dhaka city joint general secretary, raised the issue of law and order.
He bitterly criticised Bangladesh Chhatra League and Islami Chattar Shibir and said Shibir is cutting tendon while BCL is chopping off wrists and heads of the people.