Speaker asks Hasnat to ditch 'Shahbagh-like attitude' in parliament

Irked with what he described as a 'Shahbagh-like attitude', Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad today (10 April) asked NCP's Hasnat Abdullah, MP for Cumilla-4, to adopt parliamentary norms.

"Don't be so intolerant, Mr Abdullah. This is not Shahbagh Square. This is the Parliament. Here you have to wait patiently. You have to listen," the Speaker said.

The Parliament witnessed a heated exchange during a contentious debate over the passage of the July Memorial Museum Bill, 2026.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, while addressing the House, compared the current parliament with previous ones, describing the present assembly as more disciplined, vibrant, and effective.

His remarks were immediately met with fierce protest from Hasnat Abdullah, a front-line leader of the July Uprising and a National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker.

Hasnat had left his seat and stood up, shouting in protest.

Attempting to restore order amidst the shouting, the speaker directly addressed the NCP lawmaker with a stern warning.

The speaker continued his address, emphasising that parliamentary procedures must be strictly followed.

He noted there is very little scope for verbal protests and advised the member to submit a notice, which the chair would adjudicate and take into account.

The primary cause of the friction was the passage of the July Memorial Museum Bill in an amended form.

The opposition, led by its Chief Whip Nahid Islam, alleged that the bill was passed in violation of a previous consensus reached by a special committee.

The opposition bench expressed deep resentment, claiming the amendments deviated from the agreed-upon structure intended to preserve the legacy of the July Uprisng.

While the speaker maintained that the House was functioning more effectively than in the past, the opposition's protest highlighted deep-seated divisions over the legislative process.

The bill was eventually passed by voice vote amidst the ongoing protests and chaos within the chamber.