A ruling party whip on Wednesday expressed mixed reactions to the office of the President, saying he honours the chair of the President, but could not thank him as an individual.
Paying tribute to those killed during the July uprising in his constituency,
Lakshmipur-4 MP ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan, speaking in Parliament during the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech, said he had pledged to the mothers of the deceased that the chair of the President must be respected.
"I have promised their mothers that the chair of the President must be honoured. I thank that chair. However, I regret that I could not thank Honourable President Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu as an individual," he said.
Recalling the July uprising, Nizan claimed that when rumours spread that people were hiding inside the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, rooms were broken open, and large sums of money were allegedly found inside it.
He also alleged that bricks from Ganabhaban were taken away during the incident.
The Whip said the incident did not involve BNP or Jamaat leaders, nor were the mothers of the July martyrs involved. “It was rather an outburst of anger from ordinary people, including rickshaw pullers and workers,” he added.
Reflecting on the 9th Parliament, he criticised the language used during that period, alleging that derogatory remarks were made against then Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia in the House.
Nizan further alleged that under then Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina, members of the treasury bench were encouraged to make offensive comments targeting opposition figures. “Despite all that, we continued to remain in Parliament,” he said.
