Govt reviewing 101 deals with India, results soon: Chief Whip

Ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni has said the government is reviewing 101 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed with India, adding that the results of the review will come up soon.

The chief whip made the remarks in reply to a journalist’s query at a press conference at the Parliament Media Centre on Friday following the 13th parliament’s third session, which ended on Thursday.

Other whips from the ruling party were also present at the press conference.

A journalist asked about the movement of ships of friendly countries under the agreements on the use of the Chattogram and Mongla ports and whether those agreements would be cancelled.

In response, Nurul Islam said, “We are discussing the agreements, all 101 MoUs, and you will get the results very soon.”

The chief whip said the third session of parliament lasted nine working days. Six bills were introduced and passed during the session. In addition, a total of 1,678 questions were answered under various rules. The prime minister personally answered 15 questions.

Nurul Islam further said the session was held as part of the constitutional practice of convening parliament at specified intervals. He said the next session would also be held in the same manner.

A journalist asked about the addition of Section 18(A) to the Bank Resolution Act and its subsequent removal amid criticism before the bill was passed in parliament.

In reply, the chief whip said everything could not be viewed together. The government wants to strengthen Bangladesh’s financial position, which was why the provision had initially been attempted. It was later scrapped as no one showed interest in it.

A journalist asked about the number of opposition members in parliamentary standing committees and the posts of committee chairpersons. In reply, Nurul Islam said there had been very few instances in the past of opposition members being made chairpersons of parliamentary standing committees.

However, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, has been made chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. The Public Accounts Committee is one of the most important committees of parliament in terms of ensuring accountability for government expenditure. All ministries have to account to this committee for government spending.

The chief whip said opposition members had been included in 24 of the 39 ministry-related standing committees. According to him, this was somewhat higher than their share based on the opposition’s parliamentary representation.

Three opposition members each were included in 22 committees, while two each were included in the remaining committees, he added.

The chief whip described the amendment to the Property Transfer Act as an important one among the six bills passed during the third session.

He said the amendment would allow parents to retain the right to enjoy property even after donating or transferring it to their children during their lifetime.

He stated that the aim was to protect elderly parents. In many cases, parents live in old-age homes or do not receive support after transferring their property to their children. Under the new law, an attempt has been made to ensure their right to enjoy the property during their lifetime.

Nurul Islam also said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Bill and the Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Bill were also passed during the session.

He said opinions had been sought from various stakeholders, lawyers, people involved in the judiciary and journalists before the bills were drafted. Advice was also sought through discussions with 16 ambassadors.

The limits on punishment in the ordinances had been made stricter in the bills passed by parliament, including a provision for the death penalty, he added.

The chief whip said Bangladesh’s prime minister had been invited to the BRICS summit to be held in India as the chair of BIMSTEC. He said the prime minister had not been invited in her personal capacity.

Nurul Islam said Bangladesh wanted to maintain relations with all countries, including all neighbouring states. However, countries with which Bangladesh has greater interests will be given more importance, he said. At the same time, the issue of ensuring due respect will also be taken into consideration.

The chief whip outlined the government’s financial management, saying that US$2.05 billion of the loans left behind by the government, led by Sheikh Hasina, had been repaid over the past five months.

“This is taxpayers’ money,” he said, adding that the current government was taking a strict stance against waste of public money. The government was trying not to waste even a single taka of public funds, he said.

Speaking about criticism of the government over the country’s electricity and gas problems, Nurul Islam said it takes at least two to two and a half years to build a new power plant. Therefore, electricity generation cannot be increased quickly simply by wanting to do so, he said.

The chief whip criticised various agreements and indemnity provisions made by the Sheikh Hasina government in the power sector. He said some power plants had to be paid capacity charges even when they did not generate electricity, resulting in huge expenditure.

The indemnity provisions introduced by that government had been scrapped, he said. He also criticised the arrangement that gave the government direct authority, instead of the regulator, to set electricity and gas prices.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam said the government’s position on implementing the July National Charter was clear. “The government’s position on the July Charter is clear down to the full stops, commas and semicolons. The government will implement the entire charter,” he said.

The charter was signed at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. He said BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had pledged to implement it. Therefore, the government would implement the July Charter in full.

The chief whip also said the Constitution would have to be amended to implement the July Charter. There was no other way without amending the Constitution, he said. The opposition has argued that amending the Constitution would create an opportunity to challenge it in the Supreme Court. However, he said, the Constitution must be amended if reforms are to be carried out.

Nurul Islam also outlined the history of the drafting of Bangladesh’s Constitution. He said the Constitution was framed in 1972 and amended at various times thereafter. India’s Constitution has also been amended many times, he said.