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House plunges into uproar over status of Leader of the Opposition

Maiden walkout
The opposition members In the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) staged their maiden walkout on Sunday on the question of status of their leader
Sheikh Hasina. Leader of the Opposition, told the Sangsad that she would not be in the Business Advisory Committee of the House without her name being placed Just after the Leader of the House. "I withdraw my name from the committee". she said.
Her «MWpWMyw*fn» following a furdr In the House, raised over the order of placement of names in the 15-member committee. Both leader of the House and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina were included by /Speaker Abdur Rahman Biswas in the Business Advisory Committee, headed by himself.
The Speaker placed the name of the Leader of the House In the second position and then the names of four other members from the Treasury Bench, al) ministers. The Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina was positioned sixth in the Committee.
Immediately after the Leader of the Opposition announced the withdrawal of her name from the Business Advisory Committee, the opposition members walked out. The Jamaat-e-Islami and J a tty a Party members and others except three independents also followed them.
The House witnessed an uproar over the issue. Another committee — the 12-member House Committee, also announced by the Speaker In the same afternoon sitting — had however a smooth sailing. Abdul Matin Chowdhury of BNP heads this committee. Neither the Leader of the House nor the Leader of the Opposition is its member.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Abdus Samad Azad. Awami League members Tofael Ahmed and Sudhangshu Shekar Halder and Ganatantri Party member Suranjlt Sengupta took up the Issue about tbe status of the Leader of the Opposition. Leader of the Jamaat-e-Islaml Parliamentary Group Matiur Rahman Nizami. National Democratic Party member Salahuddtn Quader Chowdhury and JSD (SlraJ) member Shahjahan SiraJ supported the demand for upgrading the status of the Leader of the Opposition by placing her name next to the Leader of the House in the Business Advisory Committee.
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia sat tight-lipped when uproar ruled the House. Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina did not take part In the discussions. but she announced the withdrawal of her name from the committee apd then staged a walkout.
Clarifying the order of placement of names in the Business Advisory Committee, the Speaker earlier told the House that it was done In keeping with the practice followed by the Sangsad in 1986 and before.
The opposition members were, however, not satisfied at this clarification. They sought to drive home the point that the Sangsad of 1991 is not the same as before. It is the outcome of the people's movement for democracy, they said while demanding that the status of the Leader of the Opposition should be upgraded for efficient functioning of the Business Advisory Committee.
Taking the floor. Deputy Leader of the Opposition Abdus Samad Azad said, the two main leaders of the mass movement against autocracy are in the Jatiya Sangsad. one as the Leader of the House and the other as the Leader of the Opposition. The status of the Leader of the Opposition shotild be upgraded considering the sentiments of the House, he maintained.
Sudhangshu Shekar Haidar, quoting the Rules of Procedure, said the name of the Leader of the Opposition should be placed next to that of the Leader of the House In the Business Advisory Committee.
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdus Samad Talukdar disagreed with Halder s contention. The Rules of Procedure does not define the status of the Leader of the Opposition, he contended.
Awami League member Tofael Ahmed pleaded for upgrading the status of the Leader of the Opposition for better cooperation and understanding between the Treasury Bench and the Opposition for smooth functioning of democracy. He said, four offices, namely those of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition are major planks of the House. It is essential that the persons holding such offices should be shown proper respect for upgrading the status of the Sangsad itself, he said.
He said the Warrant of Precedence under the autocratic regimes tn the past was disrespectful even to the members of the Sangsad. This should not continue any further. If the Sangsad is to become a respectable institution, he stated. He added that the Leader of the Opposition did not sit in any meeting of the Business Advisory Committee constituted in 1986 because it degraded her status. He demanded that a shadow cabinet status should be given to the Opposition in the House.
Suranjit Sengupta of Ganatantri Party said the status of the Leader of the Opposition in the sixth position could not be seen as a healthy practice for restoring sovereignty of the Parliament to which the three political alliances are comrplt-ted.
National Democratic Party member Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury observed that the positioning of the name of the Leader of the Opposition in the Business Advisory Committee might be an unintentional one. Necessary corrections should be brought to facilitate smooth transactions of business by the House, he felt.
Matiur Rahman Nezami. leader of the Jamaat Parliamentary Group, supported the contention about upgrading the status of the Leader of the Opposition. This will adorn the Jatiya Sangsad with more respect, he maintained.
Speaker Abdur Rahman Biswas told the House that the question about order of placement of the name of the Leader of the Opposition could be discussed later.
But. the members of the Opposition were still restive. The Speaker gave the floor to Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Majedul Huq. The minister said the demand of the Opposition on the issue was not consistent with the Warrant of Precedence. It places the Leader of the House and Prime Minister. Deputy Prime Ministers and ministers in order of precedence, he added. He said the Leader of the Opposition was given the rank and status of a full cabinet minister and placed next to the ministers in the Warrant of Precedence. The minister said, if any amendments are made to the Warrant of Precedence by those who prepare It. the Treasury Bench will have no objection.
Later, the House took up Its other business for the day. The Opposition In the meanwhile staged their walkout
Local Government. Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdus Salam Taluk-der introduced the Union Pari-shad and Pourasava (Special Responsibility) Bill. 1991. Treasury Bench member Abdul Matin Chowdhury (Narayan-ganj) then moved a motion of thanks to the Acting President for delivering an address to the House on April 5.