Bangladesh News

The BNP Parliamentary Party (BNPPP) has yet to decide whether to join the current session of parliament, which has only four workdays left to go.

Though the main opposition’s parliamentary body has lately issued several statements, most of its lawmakers had no knowledge about those.

Last month, opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque read out at least eight statements on behalf of BNPPP at press briefings at the Jatiya Sangsad media centre.

The statements concerned various issues. In those, BNP demanded trial of recently-retired army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed and withdrawal of Indian high commissioner, and proposed names of five water experts for inclusion in the parliamentary team to visit Tipaimukh dam site.

Besides, it accused the ruling party of turning parliament into a hub of one-party activities and reiterated their stance on joining the House proceedings.

“I drafted the statements in consultation with one or two lawmakers, and later those were okayed by Madam [Khaleda Zia],” Farroque told The Daily Star Wednesday.

Queried if BNPPP met to draw up the statements, he said, “No meeting was held. But senior leaders have been in contact with the party chairperson.”

Reminded of the party charter attaching importance to the role of its lawmakers, the opposition chief whip said, “Khaleda Zia is the owner of BNPPP. We are always in contact with her.

“We speak whenever she wants us to speak and we say whatever she wants us to say.”

The same day BNP chief’s Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan claimed he drafts the parliamentary party statements and has those checked and approved by the leader of the opposition.

Talking to The Daily Star, he said, “Usually, the chairperson talks to senior leaders before finalising the content of the statements.”

Of the 35 lawmakers, only Khaleda and Moudud Ahmed are members of the party’s standing committee, the highest decision-making body.

None of the rest 33 holds any high post in the party.

A number of lawmakers told The Daily Star that the recent BNPPP statements had in fact been written at the chairperson’s Gulshan office and then sent to Farroque to be read out at press briefings.

They claimed a few of them had been consulted on any parliamentary affairs or for the statements.

They had learned about the parliamentary party statements mostly from the media, added the lawmakers.

The last time BNPPP met was on February 22 when it decided to return to the House after an absence for 17 consecutive days in the inaugural session.

The opposition lawmakers have been absent from the current session since June 4 without any decision at the BNPPP.

At the beginning of the session, BNP said its parliamentary party would soon decide whether to join the budget session.

“We will hold our parliamentary party meeting next week,” Farroque said on June 4.

But no meeting was held though parliament by this time has passed the budget.

The current session is scheduled to be prorogued on July 9.

This practice of staying off the legislature runs counter to the aims and objectives laid out in the BNP constitution.

The party constitution says the organisation shall work to create an atmosphere congenial to entrenching democracy and the rule of law. It will also be committed to strengthening the base of parliament to safeguard the democratic institutions and the people’s fundamental rights.

According to it, BNPPP shall elect the party’s leader, deputy leader, chief whip and whips in consultation with the chairperson.

In reality though, it has yet to elect deputy leader of the opposition.

Had a party lawmaker been elected deputy leader, he could have used his office in parliament to strengthen the opposition lawmakers’ role in the House in absence of the opposition leader.

A deputy leader is entitled to facilities and privileges of a state minister.

The speaker recognised Khaleda Zia as the leader of the opposition following a BNPPP resolution electing her as its leader.

The former prime minister enjoys the status and privileges of a cabinet minister as the leader of the opposition.