Opposition won't get anymore seat in front row of the House: Hamid
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid Saturday said it is not possible to offer anymore seat to the opposition BNP in the front row of Jatiya Sangsad and expressed the hope that they would join the current parliament session, reports UNB.
"It was very difficult for me to allocate the one additional seat in the front row to the opposition and there is no further scope," he told reporters after inaugurating a three-day parliamentary orientation programme for women MPs at a city hotel. "I think they (Opposition) should be happy over the new seat arrangement," the Speaker said replying to a reporter's query about the opposition's rejection of his latest offer for one more seat in the front row.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Bangladesh Alliance for Women Leadership jointly organized the orientation programme with financial support from USAID.
NDI interim senior Resident Director Mark Wallen, Chief Whip Vice Principal Md Abdus Shahid, USAID Mission director in Bangladesh Denise A Rollins and former MP of Queensland Parliament in Australia Dr Lesley Clark addressed the function.
The BNP-led opposition leaders did not join the second session of the 9th parliament on Thursday following a dispute over seat rearrangement in the front row of the House.
Asked what he would do if the opposition keeps boycotting parliament, the Speaker said after this he has nothing to do if the opposition does not join the parliament session.
However, Advocate Hamid strongly hoped that the opposition would join the parliamentary session.
Referring to government decision to provide vehicles and offices for the lawmakers, the Speaker reminded that the vehicles and offices must be used for the welfare of the people, not for personal interest. Advocate Hamid said the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Leader in parliament, the Foreign Minister, the Home Minister and the Agriculture Minister are all women and performing their responsibilities efficiently. "It can be said for sure that your (Women MPs) skill, competency and interest for women empowerment will help establish Bangladesh as an example in the world," he said. Meanwhile, top BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed MP termed disappointing Saturday's remark by Speaker Abdul Hamid Advocate that 'no more' front-row seats to be allocated to the main opposition in parliament.
Talking to UNB over cell phone in the evening, Moudud said the Speaker in the last session had assured them that respectable solution of the issue would be effective from the budget session. "In that view of the matter, offering one additional seat against our demand for three is disappointing."
The Speaker's decisive opinion came a day before the session resumes today (Sunday).
Ex-Law Minister and BNP Standing Committee member, Moudud viewed that "the matter is more depending on the ruling party and this is up to them, not up to the Speaker, allowing us to have more additional seats".
"It was very difficult for me to allocate the one additional seat in the front row to the opposition and there is no further scope," he told reporters after inaugurating a three-day parliamentary orientation programme for women MPs at a city hotel. "I think they (Opposition) should be happy over the new seat arrangement," the Speaker said replying to a reporter's query about the opposition's rejection of his latest offer for one more seat in the front row.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Bangladesh Alliance for Women Leadership jointly organized the orientation programme with financial support from USAID.
NDI interim senior Resident Director Mark Wallen, Chief Whip Vice Principal Md Abdus Shahid, USAID Mission director in Bangladesh Denise A Rollins and former MP of Queensland Parliament in Australia Dr Lesley Clark addressed the function.
The BNP-led opposition leaders did not join the second session of the 9th parliament on Thursday following a dispute over seat rearrangement in the front row of the House.
Asked what he would do if the opposition keeps boycotting parliament, the Speaker said after this he has nothing to do if the opposition does not join the parliament session.
However, Advocate Hamid strongly hoped that the opposition would join the parliamentary session.
Referring to government decision to provide vehicles and offices for the lawmakers, the Speaker reminded that the vehicles and offices must be used for the welfare of the people, not for personal interest. Advocate Hamid said the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Leader in parliament, the Foreign Minister, the Home Minister and the Agriculture Minister are all women and performing their responsibilities efficiently. "It can be said for sure that your (Women MPs) skill, competency and interest for women empowerment will help establish Bangladesh as an example in the world," he said. Meanwhile, top BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed MP termed disappointing Saturday's remark by Speaker Abdul Hamid Advocate that 'no more' front-row seats to be allocated to the main opposition in parliament.
Talking to UNB over cell phone in the evening, Moudud said the Speaker in the last session had assured them that respectable solution of the issue would be effective from the budget session. "In that view of the matter, offering one additional seat against our demand for three is disappointing."
The Speaker's decisive opinion came a day before the session resumes today (Sunday).
Ex-Law Minister and BNP Standing Committee member, Moudud viewed that "the matter is more depending on the ruling party and this is up to them, not up to the Speaker, allowing us to have more additional seats".