11-party alliance seeks key parliamentary committee chairmanships for opposition
Leaders say stronger opposition role is needed for parliamentary accountability.
The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance today (26 August) demanded an effective role for opposition lawmakers in parliamentary standing committees and called for them to be given chairmanship of key committees to ensure greater parliamentary accountability.
The demand was made at a meeting of the alliance's top leaders, chaired by Jamaat Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman at his official residence on Minto Road in the capital, according to a statement posted on the Jamaat's verified Facebook page.
The leaders said the July National Charter should be implemented quickly and that opposition lawmakers must have a meaningful role in the parliamentary committee system.
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"We [the alliance] believe this arrangement is essential to ensure parliamentary accountability," reads the statement.
They also expressed concern over the Human Rights Commission, the judiciary and other democratic institutions, saying state institutions needed to be strengthened and made more accountable.
During the meeting, the alliance leaders also criticised the country's current economic and energy situation, citing electricity and gas shortages, the closure of industrial units and growing economic pressure.
They said prolonged load-shedding was affecting different parts of the country, while gas and fuel shortages were hurting industries and could have an impact on production and exports.
The leaders also announced that the alliance would begin a long march from Dhaka towards Chattogram on 5 September. They said further programmes would be held in different divisions before a grand rally in Dhaka.
They warned that a larger movement could be announced later if their demands were not implemented.
On media freedom, the leaders said journalists should not be threatened or intimidated for asking questions that political leaders did not like.
"Threatening or intimidating journalists is not positive for a democratic environment," the statement added.
They said the country was repeatedly facing similar crises because earlier commitments had not been implemented following political changes.
They called for changes not only in government but also in state institutions and political culture.
Opposition Chief Whip and National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and 11-party alliance coordinator AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, Nezam-e-Islam Party acting ameer Abdul Qayyum Sobhani, among others, were present at the meeting.
