Lankan Ranger
ELITE MEMBER
PM wants end to state power grab
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament yesterday said the constitution will be amended in such a way that none can grab power again through extra-constitutional ways.
She said the constitution will be amended to better protect the people's rights and serve their needs.
Hasina was speaking on the thanks-giving motion on the president's speech.
Ending over 41 hours of discussion, in which 227 MPs from treasury and opposition benches took part, the House passed the motion yesterday on the speech delivered on January 25.
Prior to passing the motion at 9:15pm, the BNP-led opposition lawmakers walked out protesting against the speaker's refusal to hold votes on each of the 1,030 amendment proposals they had placed on the thanks-giving motion.
The speaker put all the proposals for vote in one go and it was defeated in a voice vote.
The speaker argued that it would take at least five nights to dispose of all the proposals had he put them for vote one by one in line with the opposition's demand.
The opposition walked out after the voice vote.
The prime minister, who gave the concluding speech on the discussion on the thanks-giving motion, urged opposition lawmakers to join parliament in the next session when a bill to amend the constitution will be placed.
In her hour-long speech, she also replied to dozens of allegations raised by the opposition bench against the government.
She launched a counter attack on the main opposition BNP and blasted the party for misrule between 2001 and 2006.
In response to opposition demands for putting former president Iajuddin Ahmed, former chief adviser to a caretaker government Fakhruddin Ahmed and former army chief Moeen U Ahmed on trial for their roles in the emergency period, she said it is the BNP who is demanding this, adding, "Then why are they not filing case against them. The court is independent. And it is their duty to file the cases."
On the issue of transit, she said transit agreement with India was signed during the regime of Ziaur Rahman in 1978. "All successive governments renewed it. So it is nothing new," Hasina said.
On the use of indecent language in the House, particularly by female lawmakers, the premier requested them to maintain decency while speaking.
She also thanked the speaker for exercising restraint in the face of indecent language used against him.
Hasina said the speaker could have ordered the sergeant-at-arms to get those lawmakers out of the House or have them expelled.
On lawmakers being absent during House proceedings, the premier suggested that the speaker deducts Tk 100 from their remunerations for each day of their absence from parliament proceedings.
She also spoke of her government's development activities.
Earlier, participating in the discussion, BNP senior lawmakers Moudud Ahmed and Jamiruddin Sircar blasted the government for its wrongdoings.
They also questioned the government's move to hold trials of war criminals.
After passing of the thanks-giving motion, the session that began on January 25 was prorogued.
PM wants end to state power grab
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament yesterday said the constitution will be amended in such a way that none can grab power again through extra-constitutional ways.
She said the constitution will be amended to better protect the people's rights and serve their needs.
Hasina was speaking on the thanks-giving motion on the president's speech.
Ending over 41 hours of discussion, in which 227 MPs from treasury and opposition benches took part, the House passed the motion yesterday on the speech delivered on January 25.
Prior to passing the motion at 9:15pm, the BNP-led opposition lawmakers walked out protesting against the speaker's refusal to hold votes on each of the 1,030 amendment proposals they had placed on the thanks-giving motion.
The speaker put all the proposals for vote in one go and it was defeated in a voice vote.
The speaker argued that it would take at least five nights to dispose of all the proposals had he put them for vote one by one in line with the opposition's demand.
The opposition walked out after the voice vote.
The prime minister, who gave the concluding speech on the discussion on the thanks-giving motion, urged opposition lawmakers to join parliament in the next session when a bill to amend the constitution will be placed.
In her hour-long speech, she also replied to dozens of allegations raised by the opposition bench against the government.
She launched a counter attack on the main opposition BNP and blasted the party for misrule between 2001 and 2006.
In response to opposition demands for putting former president Iajuddin Ahmed, former chief adviser to a caretaker government Fakhruddin Ahmed and former army chief Moeen U Ahmed on trial for their roles in the emergency period, she said it is the BNP who is demanding this, adding, "Then why are they not filing case against them. The court is independent. And it is their duty to file the cases."
On the issue of transit, she said transit agreement with India was signed during the regime of Ziaur Rahman in 1978. "All successive governments renewed it. So it is nothing new," Hasina said.
On the use of indecent language in the House, particularly by female lawmakers, the premier requested them to maintain decency while speaking.
She also thanked the speaker for exercising restraint in the face of indecent language used against him.
Hasina said the speaker could have ordered the sergeant-at-arms to get those lawmakers out of the House or have them expelled.
On lawmakers being absent during House proceedings, the premier suggested that the speaker deducts Tk 100 from their remunerations for each day of their absence from parliament proceedings.
She also spoke of her government's development activities.
Earlier, participating in the discussion, BNP senior lawmakers Moudud Ahmed and Jamiruddin Sircar blasted the government for its wrongdoings.
They also questioned the government's move to hold trials of war criminals.
After passing of the thanks-giving motion, the session that began on January 25 was prorogued.
PM wants end to state power grab