Bangladesh News

BNP-led opposition lawmakers yesterday staged a brief walkout from parliament in protest against placing a bill seeking to rename Shaheed Ziaur Rahman University, Barisal, as Barisal University.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid tabled the bill in line with a cabinet decision to rename all establishments named after Ziaur Rahman.

The past BNP government named the university as per a law titled Shaheed Ziaur Rahman University Barisal Act made in 2006.

Before the bill was placed in the House, BNP lawmaker Moudud Ahmed took the floor and bitterly criticised the government for this move.

“The government is out to erase the name of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman instead of taking steps to improve law and order, arrest price hike of essentials and ensure supply of power and gas to reduce people’s sufferings,” Moudud said.

The former law minister further said, “Inshallah, we will sit in the treasury bench after the next election. And we will amend the law to name Barisal University again after Ziaur Rahman … We are now walking out of parliament protesting the bill.”

In response, the education minister said the BNP government passed the law concerning the university but did nothing to establish it.

“I visited Barisal. People there demanded that the government rename the university as Barisal University. We are just honouring their desire,” Nahid said.

The opposition lawmakers then staged the walkout at 3:50pm and returned to the House at 4:05 pm.

The bill was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on education ministry for scrutiny.

Interestingly, BNP lawmakers delayed their walkout for a few minutes in response to a call from the speaker.

Speaker Abdul Hamid asked them to hear the education minister’s response to Moudud’s speech. And they did so.