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Opposition Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers staged a walkout from Parliament on Sunday, alleging discriminatory treatment in the allocation of speaking time, denial of an opportunity to raise a point of order and failure to provide advance copies of two bills tabled during the sitting.
The walkout took place towards the end of the day’s proceedings after Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir concluded his speech as part of the budget session.
Following his remarks, two supplementary agenda items were introduced: the Bangladesh Medical University (Amendment) Bill and the Public Examinations (Offences) (Amendment) Bill.
Opposition members objected to the introduction of these bills, arguing that they had not been given prior notice or copies of the proposed legislation.
However, Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal said the House had granted time dispensation, allowing the bills to be tabled. The bills were referred to the relevant parliamentary committees for examination and submission of reports.
After the bills were introduced, Jamaat-e-Islami MP Shahjahan Chowdhury sought the floor on a point of order.
The Deputy Speaker said it was not possible to entertain a point of order at that stage as a statement under Rule 300 was scheduled to be delivered. Under Rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure of the Bangladesh Parliament, government ministers make statements on matters of urgent public importance, with prior permission from the Speaker.
It allows the government to clarify its stance on pressing national issues, respond to controversies, or provide crucial updates. As such, Rule 300 is exclusively reserved for Ministers (or authorized officers) to address the House.
He then invited Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to make the statement.
Before beginning, the minister remarked, “There is good news for you.”
The Deputy Speaker then urged members to allow the statement to proceed, saying, “Let the statement be made first. You become so impatient.”
Opposition lawmakers were then heard saying, “We are walking out,” before leaving the House.
Afterwards, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir informed the House that he would deliver the statement on Monday. The Deputy Speaker subsequently adjourned the sitting.
Speaking to reporters after the walkout, Jamaat MP Najibur Rahman said the opposition had left the House in protest over what he described as unequal allocation of speaking time in favour of the ruling party, the failure to provide copies of the bills in advance and the refusal to allow a point of order.
