BNP lawmaker’s walkout from parliament an ‘ill motive’: Law minister

Criticizing BNP lawmaker’s walkout, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said the lawmaker has walked out from parliament with an ill motive after protesting endorsement an act brought by Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Tazul Islam.

“BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid of Chapainawabganj-3 has walked out from the parliament by taking resort to an ill motive without going through the law,” said the law minister.

The law minister made this comment while taking floor under point of order before concluding daylong session in the Jatiya Sangsad here this afternoon.

Terming BNP lawmaker’s walkout as an ‘irresponsible’ decision, Huq said the BNP lawmaker protested a provision of appointment an administer in the proposed law titled ‘Local Government (Pouroshova) (Amendment) Bill, 2021’as the administrator will be appointed only for holding elections in the pouroshaova within not more than 180 days as per the law.

The enactment of the law will ensure timely elections of the pouroshovas, he said. Harunur Rashid is an elected parliament member and that’s why he has a responsibility to the people of his respective constituency, the law minister added.

It has been seen that some pourosova chairmen go to court at the end of their tenure and restrict the holding of the next election.

Even some chairmen had stayed in office for more than five years, up to even 15-16 years, taking the advantage of a clause in the existing law that stated that the present chairman will remain in chair till the next election.

“To stop this practice, the government has made this amendment to the 2009 law,” said the minister.

The proposed law has a provision saying that after the five-year term, the government would be able to appoint an administrator either from the government services, with administrative experience, or any other eligible person.