Bangladesh News

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday said the parliamentary probe body did not have any jurisdictions to summon him.

He also said such a committee does not hold any authority to call someone.

After a party meeting at BNP’s Naya Paltan office Delwar told reporters that the probe committee was formed ‘without following legal procedure.’ He said he would think about it after receiving the formal letter from the parliamentary body.

The all-party parliamentary committee decided to summon former speaker, deputy speaker and chief whip to defend themselves.

A sub-committee also recommended filing of criminal cases against former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and former chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain for misappropriating public money.

Delwar said, “The committee formed by the speaker has no legal status as speaker cannot form such a committee. No such committee can call anyone to clarify one’s position about anything,” former chief whip said.

Referring to the terms of references of the probe committee he said, “The committee was formed to investigate so called allegations against the former speaker but now it is investigating allegations against former deputy speaker and chief whip.

Rules of procedure of the parliament do not give any authority to the incumbent speaker to form such committee, Delwar said.

Denying the graft allegation, he said, “These are politically motivated and baseless. The allegation was raised only to destroy the image of my family as well as my political career.”

About Fazle Rabbi Mia, chief of parliamentary probe body, Delwar said, “I know Fazle Rabbi very well. Instead of verifying complaints against me he is blindly accusing me.”