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PM blows hot over MPs dodging JS

Warns of House dissolution, early polls if the trend continues

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Exasperated at her party lawmakers' persistent absenteeism in parliament sessions, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday warned them of dissolution of the House and early polls if they do not attend it regularly and behave politically.
At a BNP parliamentary party meeting hours before the start of the 16th Jatiya Sangsad session yes- terday, the prime minister reacted sharply at her party lawmakers' irregular and poor participation that made the House suffer severe quorum crises in the past, a number of senior BNP lawmakers said.
"If you don't attend the House regularly and do your duties properly, I will be compelled to dissolve the Jatiya Sangsad and hand over power to a caretaker government for an early general election," the
leader of the House told the meeting at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
She directed the deputies of her party to attach the highest priority to participation in parliamentary proceedings over all other businesses. "As lawmakers, your first and foremost duty is to participate in parliamentary proceedings."
She rebuked the MPs for sloth and said while in Dhaka they should not idle away time at the MP hostels. "It's not a place for sleeping," she said, adding, "We are monitoring the activities of every one of you. He whose performance is not satisfactory… will not get nomination in the next general election."
Internal feud was the main reason why the ruling alliance has suffered the Chittagong City Corporation polls debacle, the BNP chief observed. She asked her party colleagues to resolve all factional conflicts and take preparations together for the next parliamentary elections in their constituencies.
On the opposition demand for reforms in the caretaker government system and the Election Commission, the prime minister said the opposition school has made an issue out of a 'nonissue'. Her government will not do any thing not warranted by the constitution, she declared.
On the reform issue, BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said, "We also want reforms in the Election Commission. But the opposition camp has to place its reform proposal in parliament."
Seventeen of the attending 151 lawmakers spoke at the meeting, with Khaleda in the chair. They also discussed the country's overall political situation and various organisational issues.
The prime minister asked the BNP lawmakers to face opposition movement politically by strengthening the organisation, Chief Whip Khandakar Delwar Hossain told newsmen after the meeting. However, he claimed Khaleda did not say any thing about internal feud. According to meeting sources, BNP MP Syed Manjur Hossain in the meeting said only development work would not yield good results for the party, if the organisation were not strengthened. Alluding to the previous BNP government, he said the government then carried out huge development work but failed to win the election in 1996.
Rashiduzzaman Millat MP said 30 to 35 lawmakers would not be able to win in the next parliamentary election. But, as a number of participants interrupted Millat, he could not finish his speech, meeting sources said.
Taking the floor, Communications Minister Nazmul Huda accused the finance ministry of foot-dragging in releasing funds for the projects under Annual Development Programme. "The procrastination is hampering development projects," he alleged.
A number of participants of the over one-hour sitting, deliberated on ways to fortify the party 'politically'. To achieve this, Khaleda said, lack of co-ordination among the ministers responsible for the districts, lawmakers and local leaders must be removed. "You have to be more people-oriented and gear up development activities," she told them.