The BNP-led opposition lawmakers yesterday walked out of parliament in protest against an Awami League lawmaker's remark labelling late president Ziaur Rahman as a killer and an agent of the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.
Participating in the thanksgiving motion on the president's address, AL lawmaker Shafiqul Islam had castigated Ziaur Rahman for his role after August 1975.
Opposition lawmakers broke into protest, shouting at the AL lawmaker. But Shafiqul continued his speech amid the noises.
The opposition lawmakers then staged the walkout at 7:45pm and did not return to the House.
The House yesterday also witnessed an unscheduled debate between the lawmakers of both the treasury and opposition benches as lawmakers took the floor on points of order and launched broadsides against each other.
Ending the debate. Speaker Abdul Hamid, who was presiding at that time, refused to accept their entire arguments as points of order in line with the rules of procedure.
Earlier, BNP lawmaker Golam Mostafa alleged that "Sheikh Mujibur Rahman mysteriously surrendered to the Pakistani army on March 25, 1971 and hid himself in Pakistan". He also made derogatory remarks on the funeral of Bangabandhu.
The treasury bench lawmakers protested Golam Mostafa's remarks.
After BNP's walkout, Deputy Speaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, who was presiding over the session at that time, said it is very unfortunate that the opposition lawmakers walked out without giving him scope to say anything.
He said he would take necessary steps to scrutinise if there was any unparliamentary word in AL lawmaker Shafiqul's speech.
Taking the floor, treasury bench Whip ASM Firoz drew the deputy speaker's attention to Golam Mostafa's remarks on Bangabandhu. The deputy speaker said he would also take proper steps to this effect. VIOLATION OF RULES OF PROCEDURE
Refusing to accept the treasury and opposition lawmakers' speeches. Speaker Abdul Hamid said, "I gave you the floor only to create an atmosphere in the House. But none of you raised any question on the point of order."
According to the rules of procedure of parliament, a point of order shall relate to the interpretation or enforcement of the rules of procedure or such articles of the constitution to regulate the business of the House and shall raise a
question, which is within the cognisance of the speaker.
A point of order may be raised in relation to the business of the House at the moment, it says.
However, lawmakers almost every day take the floor in the name of points of order and make statements blaming each other on different issues.
At the beginning of yesterday's sitting, Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque and two other BNP lawmakers sought the floor on points of order.
As the speaker allowed Zainul to speak, he blasted some ruling party lawmakers for their remarks on the opposition made earlier in parliament.
Zainul accused AL lawmakers Jahangir Kabir Nanok and Mirza Azam of being involved in the BDR carnage. He also accused Azam of plotting the cocktail blast in front of the BNP chiefs office.
Citing a "confessional statement" of AL lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, the opposition chief whip alleged that Selim confessed that Nanok and Azam were involved in setting fire to a bus in front of Sheraton Hotel that killed 11 passengers during the rule of BNP
Zainul also castigated AL lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta for his Monday's remark labelling BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami as patrons of militancy.
He submitted a CD to the speaker containing Selim's "confessional statement" reportedly given when he was behind bars during the past caretaker government's rule.
The treasury bench lawmakers launched a counter attack on the opposition lawmakers.
"Former BNP lawmaker Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, Jamaat leaders and UPDF are involved in creating unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts," treasury bench Chief Whip Abdus Shahid said taking the floor on a point of order.
TYeasury bench Whip ASM Firoz demanded formation of a parliamentary probe body to identify the masterminds of the recent unrest in the CHT.