Boycotting the national parliament assembly is not an uncommon scene in Bangladesh. On 12.03.26, the opposition parties Jamaat and NCP staged a walkout from the assembly just after the president arrived to deliver his speech. The president is not acceptable to the boycotting parties due to his questionable role during the July Revolution and his association with the previous Awami regime.
Although the culture of boycotting exists as a parliamentary practice in many democracies, it must be remembered that the parliament exists to raise the voices of the people for development and for addressing crises. According to an investigation by Transparency International Bangladesh in 2023, approximately Tk 2 lakh per minute was spent during the conduct of the parliament assembly. Undoubtedly, the amount has increased further over time.
Moreover, only about 12 per cent effectiveness in the execution of bills is observed in Bangladesh, whereas the figure is around 32 per cent in India and 48 per cent in the United States. These expenses come from the income of the people. Therefore, the rulers and political leaders should be more concerned about this reality. The culture that existed in the past should not be repeated again. The assembly is not meant for admiring supreme leaders or engaging in unnecessary sycophancy.
If there are any contradictory matters against the government, the parliament should be the platform for debate rather than boycotting. Additionally, demeaning the national anthem by not standing cannot be considered a healthy democratic culture. Since the parliament is newly formed, the leaders should be more cautious in the future to make the parliament truly a platform for the welfare and rights of the people.
Kawsik Azad Pronoy
A Banker, kawsikdbbl@gmail.com