DHAKA – Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Thursday said the two major parties have to take the initiative for talks to resolve the prevailing political impasse over the election time government.
“Either the government or the opposition should take the initiative for talks to resolve the political crisis over holding the next parliamentary polls. If any party wants to hold discussion in Parliament, as the Speaker, I can facilitate it,” she said while talking to reporters after a workshop at IPD Conference Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Asked whether she would take any initiative to hold discussion to resolve political deadlock, the Speaker parried the answer saying that it is the government and the opposition who has to take the initiative.
Chaudhury however observed that the crisis whatever the size is could be resolved through discussions.
She also expressed her optimism that the opposition lawmakers would join the forthcoming session of Parliament beginning on September 12 as they participated in the previous session.
The political impasse surfaced in the political arena as the Awami League-led 18-party alliance government abolished the caretaker government system from the constitution through an amendment to it in June 2011.
The main opposition BNP on the other hand has been carrying out movement demanding restoration of the non-party caretaker government to oversee the next general elections scheduled to be held between October and January.
Earlier, addressing the workshop as the chief guest on JS Bodies Under Media Scanner, the Speaker emphasised the need for strengthening the parliamentary standing committees to make the base of democracy stronger.
She also underlined the need for disseminating activities of the parliamentary standing committees to ensure transparency and accountability of the government.
The Speaker said in the discussion of standing committee meetings priority should be given on the matters related to public interests.
She also suggested the standing committee chiefs to brief journalists over important recommendation of the meetings for better coverage.
Minister for Information Hasanul Haque Inu said the people got free and fair elections after the 90 but the stability was not restored.
He said discussion on restoration of stability should be taken place instead of caretaker government.
Inu said an alien culture was created in the country to boycott Parliament by the party which was defeated in the polls.
He said time has come to decide whether the people would support in favour of Hefazat or reemergence of militants, fundamentalists and terrorism.
The Minister said about 257 laws were enacted in the present Parliament after examining by the concerned standing committee.
Inu alleged that the opposition didn’t lodge objection against any law when it was discussed in standing committee level but they opposed it while their passages.
He suggested standing committee chiefs to give written briefings after their committee meetings to avoid information distortion.
Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) organized the workshop in assistance with USAID, UKAID and Asia Foundation. The function was moderated by Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Boishakhi Television.
The study report recommended formalising media briefings by respective committee chiefs to avoid information gaps and protecting media from court contempt for parliament coverage.
Taking part in the discussion, parliamentary standing committee chiefs and senior journalists emphahised the need to allow journalists in the committee meetings.
They also suggested broadcasting the whole proceedings of the committee meeting through Sangsad TV and giving regular briefings by the respective standing committee chairman following the committee meetings.
Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of Agriculture Shawkat Momen Shajahan, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of Disaster and Relief ABM Anwarul Haque, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP, Shah Jikrul Ahmed, MP, Md Mujibul Haque, MP, Mission Director of USAID Richard Greene, Prothom Alo joint Editor Abdul Quaiyum Manbkantha Editor Shajahan Sarder, Farid Hossain, Hasan M Manzur of Asian Foundation and Shaila Tasnim Haque. – Staff Reporter
