JSD lawmaker demands FM statement on Libya

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Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) lawmaker Mainuddin Khan Badal Thursday in Parliament bitterly criticised the government for what he said its callousness on the Libya issue and demanded an immediate full-fledged statement from the foreign ministry, reports UNB. Taking the floor on point of order, the JSD lawmaker said that he saw a report in a vernacular newspaper where it was stated that about 37 Bangladeshis have been killed so far in Libya and many others are living with their life on the edge. "Truly speaking, Libya is a detestable country, they have tribal conflicts, they killed Bangladeshi people," he said. Mr Badal also criticised the ministers and government officials for their different opinions and statements on the Libya issue where many Bangladeshi people were reportedly killed. In this connection, he said that a couple of months back he demanded a statement from the foreign minister in connection with MV Jahan Moni, which was captured by Somalian pirates, with Bangladeshi mariners kept as hostage. "I did not get any statement from the foreign minister on that issue yet." He mentioned that the foreign minister at a press briefing had said that the government did not want to make noise in this connection as the pirates might increase their demand for ransom. Badal mentioned that a South Korean ship also fell prey to the Somalian pirates, but the Korean government sent their troops, attacked the pirates and freed their mariners. "We have rats, fats and bats and so many things (indicating RAB), but we can't free our mariners," he said. The JSD lawmaker said that the news would fade away, but the people who are being held hostage by the pirates will not fade away from the mind of their family members. "Mr Speaker, I demand a statement from the foreign ministry to clarify whether 37 Bangladeshis were killed or not, and how many others are living with their life on the edge," he said. Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, who was in the chair, said that he expressed the hope that the government would come up with a statement in this connection. At this stage, an independent lawmaker Mohammad Fazlul Azim took the floor, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid stood up to say something. When both were about to start speaking, the chair told the chief whip that he had already given the microphone to Fazlul Azim. When Fazlul Huq was criticising the ministers for their absence in the House, the chair stopped his microphone saying that the member was straying far from the main issue. Taking the floor, the chief whip said that the Speaker is the only person who can allow anyone to speak in the House. He said that as Thursday is the private members' day there is no business of the ministers except the ministers concerned for the day. Mr Shahid requested the Speaker to run the House following the order of the day. Independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim staged walked out from the House as he was denied the opportunity to speak.