The trend of boycotting JS must end

The decision by the lawmakers of the BNP led 4-party alliance to rejoin the parliament session, is welcome news. But the question is, have they rejoined parliament for their own interest to retain their membership or to play their important role as a people's representatives and thereby consolidate democracy. The opposition party's performance regarding participation in the parliament during the last two years tenure of the present government is very disappointing. Of the total 174 working days of the five sessions, BNP lawmakers attended on only 46 working days. BNP chairperson and leader of the opposition Begum Khaleda Zia and some of her party lawmakers joined the parliament for only five working days of the 9th parliament. The seats of four lawmakers of the BNP led 4-party alliance will be vacant by this month due to their consecutive absence in the parliament. The other 35 lawmakers along with the leader of the opposition Begum Khaleda Zia will soon lose their membership for this same reason. The only way to retain their membership is by joining the parliament within the stipulated timeframe. The BNP-led alliance's decision, no doubt, for rejoining the House is time-befitting. The people have elected them for playing their due role relating to policy-making, legislation and ensuring the accountability of the government. This is their prime responsibility. In addition, they should take part in debates on different issues of national importance. But we have had bitter experience in the past when every opposition party remained absent in the House by showing various excuses during the parliament sessions. But when the time is imminent for vacating their membership, they then rejoin the House to retain their membership for a few hours and again boycott the parliament till another 89 working sessions of parliament. As a result, the parliament is not becoming functional and effective. The culture of parliamentary democracy is not flourishing. If the trend of parliament boycott continues for long both the political parties will become isolated from the people. The treasury bench and opposition will have to show respect for each other and create a congenial atmosphere for making parliament effective. A functional and effective parliament still remains elusive as both the major political parties are miles away from implementing and working for their electoral pledges. The democratic process will become weaker if the two major political parties fail to make the parliament functional and effective. Like in the past, the present 9th parliament is gradually becoming dysfunctional because of the absence of the main opposition party. The two major political parties will be held responsible for the present lifeless state of the parliament. The nation now wants to see something positive from the two major parties in the greater interest of the country's democracy. Lutfor Rahman Ghoraghat, Dinajpur E-mail : mlutforr@ovi.com