A parliamentary body could be formed consensually to investigate the last caretaker government’s wrongdoings and initiate necessary actions, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister barrister Shafique Ahmed told parliament yesterday.
“All wrongdoings and illegal activities of the last caretaker government since January 11, 2007 should be investigated and tried so that none dares to conspire against our long cherished democracy in the future,” the law minister said in a written statement.
The minister agreed with Awami League (AL) lawmaker AKM Rahmatullah’s proposal placed in last session of the House for taking actions against the last caretaker government’s wrongdoings through probe by forming a parliamentary body.
Many lawmakers in the inaugural session of the ninth parliament also made the same demand.
In response to another proposal from AL lawmaker Mir Shawkat Ali Badsha, the law minister said the government is thinking of amending the constitution or enacting a law to ensure that portraits of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman are displayed and preserved at government offices.
A report containing the statements of the law minister and 31 other ministers and state ministers was tabled in the House addressing the issues raised by lawmakers in the inaugural session of the ninth parliament.
The ministers for the first time came up with brief statements on the contents of the lawmakers’ notices, rejected by the speaker under section 71 of the rules of procedure. However, 15 lawmakers were allowed to speak on the contents of their notices for two minutes each at every sitting.
As per the latest amendment to the rules of procedure, brought at the fag end of the last parliament, a minister’s brief statement in response to the lawmakers’ notices will be put on the table within the first three sittings of the next session.
Senior BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury welcomed the move saying an all-party parliamentary probe body should be formed to this end as soon as possible.
Referring to Rahmatullah’s notices, the law minister said people welcomed the changeover of January 11, 2007. But later the then caretaker government acted against the people’s aspiration.
“The caretaker government emerged with a conspiracy to eliminate politics and politicians from the country to implement their own agenda. Many politicians including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, businessmen and eminent personalities were put behind bars as part of the conspiracy,” the minister alleged.
He said at last they were defeated by the people through restoration of the democratic system.
On AL lawmaker Badsha’s proposal, Shafique said the government has already issued a circular to display and preserve portraits of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the offices of government, semi-government and autonomous organisations.
In response to AL lawmaker Kabirul Haque’s notice, Shafique said it would require a thorough study to restore the 1972 constitution’s provisions that ban religion-based political parties.
He however said if the activities of any religion-based political party pose threat to the country’s independence and sovereignty it can be banned under the Special Powers Act.
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