Dissolve inactive parliament, hold fresh election

They said the country is being run under a 'parliamentary autocracy' where the prime minister, her cabinet and family members have become the sources of all powers.

The seminar on 'Inactive parliament: Jeopardised democracy' was organised by the main opposition Awami League at the National Press Club marking the four years of BNP-Jamaat-led coalition in power.

Presided over by Deputy Leader of the Opposition Abdul Hamid, the seminar was addressed by top ranking opposition leaders and academics.

AL presidium member Suranjit Sengupta in a keynote paper said, "The prime minister has established an autocratic rule in the country through her office by keeping parliament totally non-functional and gagging opposition voices."

Defending opposition's boycott of parliament, he said there is no reason to sit in the House where even assassination attempt on the leader of the opposition was not discussed.

Suranjit said the Speaker did not entertain any of the 2256 notices of the opposition lawmakers for discussion in parliament while the prime minister did not respond any of 921 questions.

He alleged that despite parliamentary democracy in the country, the prime minister, her cabinet and family members have grabbed all powers.

"Parliament is now being used as a place for admiring the government party leaders and making provocative statements against the opposition members," he added.

"It's a one party parliament where opposition's voice is totally kept mum...Parliament is being used as the rubberstamp of the prime minister," Suranjit said, adding, "Any responsible opposition can't give legality to such parliament by its mere presence."

He observed that parliament has become a place of arrogant speeches and shameless flattery of the ministers and treasury bench lawmakers.

He told the seminar that the main opposition lawmakers participated in the deliberations of only 87 days out of total 297 working days in the current parliament.

The AL leader said the existing parliament has failed to hold debate on crucial national issues and making the government accountable.

He said there was no discussion in the House on the crucial national issues including price spiral of essentials, deteriorating law and order, bomb blasts, grenade attacks, foreign policy, and killing of sitting lawmakers.

"The present government feels comfort to issue presidential ordinances rather than enacting laws in parliament," he added.

Suranjit called for making a provision to select the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker from the treasury and the opposition benches respectively so that they can discharge their duties neutrally.

AL leader Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury said the country has got rid of autocratic ruler, but not of autocratic rule.

He criticised the present Speaker for violating some rules and traditions of parliament.

AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed termed the present parliament as the worst in country's history and said opposition members were barred from speaking for the people.

"Not only parliament, but also the entire country is inactive under the alliance rule," he said.

Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon said the current parliament is valueless to people as it failed to discuss national issues.

"Parliaments even under the military regimes had some scopes for the opposition to speak, which is not present in the current parliament," he said.

Prof Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir said the Speaker has failed to maintain his neutrality due to intervention from the leader of the House.

Prof Harun-or-Rashid of Dhaka University also suggested dissolution of the current parliament.

AL leaders Motia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Dr SA Malek, opposition chief whip Abdus Shahid and Editor of the daily Jugantor Abed Khan also addressed the seminar.