Parliamentary panel recommends cancellation of TIB’s registration

The parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs has recommended cancellation of the registration of Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) because the NGO made remarks the Parliament considers “demeaning”.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 18 Nov 2015, 03:43 PM
Updated : 18 Nov 2015, 03:43 PM

After a meeting of the committee on Wednesday, its Chairman Suranjit Sengupta said, “Action has to be taken against the TIB. We have recommended cancellation of its registration for making derogatory comments on Parliament.”
 
He said the NGO Affairs Bureau could cancel the registration as per the existing Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act.
 
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, while presenting a report titled ‘Parliament Watch’ on Oct 25, alleged that the current Parliament had turned into a “puppet show stage”.
 
Awami League leaders vehemently criticised the remark and even demanded that Iftekharuzzaman be asked to appear before the Parliament’s Privileges Committee.
 
Reacting to the criticism, Iftekharuzzaman said he hoped that Parliament would take note of the “information and recommendations” made in the report.
 
“TIB is ready to extend all cooperation in whatever steps Parliament would take over the report,” he assured.
 
At the Parliament’s media centre, Sengupta told journalists that NGOs would have to be made accountable.
 
Referring to TIB, he said, “The crow will have to do its own work. It cannot play the role of a peacock.  Despite being an NGO, the TIB demeaned Parliament, for which its registration should be cancelled.”

Stating that no NGO had the “authority” to debase Parliament, Sengupta said: “Parliament can always be criticised. But for that there are people, media, opposition parties. Even the BNP, which has no presence in Parliament can do it. But certainly no NGO can do it.”
 
He further stated that the parliamentary standing committee had no objections about the TIB report. But terming the Parliament as a “puppet show stage” and the Opposition as the “B” team was derogatory, he added.
 
“TIB is now issuing statements claiming that there has been a misunderstanding.  In future they may even say there has been a misunderstanding over the functioning of the court. This cannot be allowed. Such statements only reflect their audacity. Since they have not apologised, we have recommended cancellation of their registration,” Sengupta said.  
 
He also called for “arresting this trend” among the NGOs who demean Parliament, courts, Election Commission and other constitutional institutions.
 
He said the committee had discussed at length the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Bill, 2015.
 
But it did not make any new recommendations for taking NGOs to task, he said.
 
“We have not even demanded criminal proceedings against NGOs for making derogatory comments against Constitutional bodies,” he said.
 
“We have asked for the cancellation of registration on the basis of existing provisions. The committee, however, has agreed to extend the duration of the registration period.”
 
The senior Awami League leader also disagreed that taking action against TIB would discourage civil society representatives from criticising Parliament.
 
“NGOs are not watchdogs. People, media, Oppositions are the watchdogs of Parliament. An individual and an NGO is not the same. NGOs have to be made accountable,” he added.