The Jatiya Sangsad yesterday passed two separate bills entitling the Speaker to another Assistant Private Secretary and an additional peon and the Chief Whip to an additional peon at their respective offices.

Law. Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Matin Khashru placed the bills titled. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill. 1997 and the Bangladesh (Whips) (Amendment) Bills, 1997, Both the bills were placed ip the House after scrutiny by the JS Special Committee.

Before passage of the bills, the House rejected two Jatiya Party proposals, one for sending those for seeking public opinion and the other for sending those to a select committee.

As Abu Lals Md Mobin Choudhury of JP questioned the necessity of "extra" manpower at the offices of the Speaker and the Chief Whip, the Law Minister Abdul Matin Khasru said the present parliament in not like the "rubber stamp parliament" during the JP rule. "Now the parliament is much more important under a parliamentary democracy. The responsibilities of the Speaker and the Chief Whip have become manifold with flourishing democracy and increased population." Additional manpower are needed, he added.

The House resumed at 4.30 pm with Deputy Speaker Abdul Hamid in the chair.

The House also disposed oL three call attention notices following the regular one-hour question-answer session.

In his notice. Awami League lawmaker Nurul Islam Nahid proposed formation of a Sylhet Division Development Authority for development of the division. The notice by Abdul Latif Mirza of the same party stressed the need for dredging the Padma, the Jamuna and the Teesta to facilitate smooth ferry services in SirajganJ-Bhuapur and Aricha-Nagarbari routes.

Another ruling party member. Jalaluddln Talukdar submitted his notice seeking appointment of teachers in vacant posts in different educational institutions in his constituency comprising Kalmakanda and Durgapur thanas of Netrokona district.

Replying to the notices, ministers concerned said that steps were being taken regarding those.

Rising on a point of order, Suranjit Sengupta accused BNP

chief and Leader of the Opposition in the House Begum Khaleda Zia and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Prof. Badruddoza Choudhury of acting against democracy by abstaining from attending the section and issuing "provocative and misleading" statement outside it.

He accused B Choudhury of trying to Incite bloodshed in the army through his recent comment on November 7. "It's an act of treason and violation of the Constitution", the AL leader remarked.

Sengupta was very critical of Begum Zia for calling hartal coinciding with the recent Aid Group meeting in the capital and spreading "falsehood" against the planned peace treaty on the CHT.

He demanded a ruling from the Chair on the issue. However, no comment was passed from the Chair on the matter.

The House was adjourned at 8:25 pm till 4 pm today.