The speech of Abdul Hamid, the speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) at the concluding day of the twelfth session of the Ninth Parliament Sangsad on March 29,2012 has surprised us. The way he delivered his speech accusing the leader of the opposition (especially his body language) gave the impression that he was speaking as the leader of the House and that he was not at all neutral.

He strongly criticised the Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia and her deputies for boycotting parliament afresh and questioning his neutrality. The speaker in his speech noted that Khaleda Zia did not specify a model outlining the caretaker government while speaking in parliament on March 19,2012. My question to the speaker: is it his business to discuss under what form of government the next parliamentary election will be held?

The speaker also questioned the behaviour of the opposition MPs and that of another BNP MP, Rehana Akhter Ranu, who made vulgar speech at parliament. In this context, may I ask the speaker- why he allowed the prime minister, her ministers and MPs to use indecent, vulgar and abusive language in parliament against Late President Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia in a free style in absence of the opposition MPs during last one year which we witnessed on BTV?

Why did he not expunge those indecent remarks and gave a blank cheque to the ruling party MPs and the prime minister in this regard? We also witnessed at our dismay that while ruling party MPs used this type of abuse in parliament, he allowed them further time to speak exceeding the scheduled time i.e. he encouraged them in doing so.

The speaker in his speech said that he is the only speaker to have maintained neutrality in the parliament since the country's independence. He further said that even many developed democratic countries do not have the example, he set by maintaining neutrality.

He spoke very high of himself. But in reality it is quite reverse.

Md. Ataur Rahman

Former Senior Banker

Dhanmondi

Dhaka