Murky water crisis at parliament leaves chief whip ‘unwell’

He says the complex needs 10 million litres daily but produces only 2.7 million, deepening an acute shortage

Water scarcity around parliament has reached a severe level, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni has said.

The parliamentary committee chief said on Monday that production is far below demand, creating a major crisis.

Speaking after the committee’s second meeting on Monday, he said: “The water problem is serious. Over the past two to three days, we have been getting murky water.

“Because of this, I myself suffered an upset stomach. We will ask the government to resolve the issue of turbid water.”

Highlighting the scale of the shortage, the chief whip said: “Here, 10 million litres of water are needed, but only 2.7 million litres are produced.”

According to the Parliament Secretariat, the meeting, chaired by the chief whip, was attended by committee members Raqibul Islam, Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, Mohammad Qaisar Ahmed, Md Shahidul Islam, Nayab Yusuf Ahmed, SM Jahangir Hossain, Md Oli Ullah, Md Saiful Alam and Md Abul Hasnat.

Discussions also covered:

• Progress in renovation and repair works to allocate MP residences at Manik Mia Avenue and Nakhalpara
• Preparations to allocate 156 office rooms at the MP hostel in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar
• Ensuring 24-hour medical services for MPs by appointing specialist doctors and medical officers
• Strengthening security in residential buildings
• Deploying necessary staff in the members’ housing wing

Housing Target by Apr 10

The chief whip said efforts were under way to allocate residences to MPs by Apr 10.

“There is practically nothing in terms of necessary items. Some were made in 2000, some are damaged. We have fixed those,” he said, assuring MPs they would be able to move in soon.

Healthcare Push, ICU Ambulance Needed

Moni said the meeting also discussed parliament’s hospital facilities. “We need an ICU ambulance, and also a refrigerated vehicle for carrying bodies,” he said.

The secretariat said ensuring round-the-clock emergency care with adequate specialists and medical officers was also discussed.

Sound System under Scrutiny

The chief whip said the parliament chamber’s sound system remains faulty.

“We are trying to improve it. If that fails, a new system will be installed,” he said, adding a probe report is due by Apr 2.

Two sub-committees have been formed:

• Led by Raqibul to identify sound system faults
• Led by Yusuf to assess food quality, water supply, and furniture standards

The meeting also issued strict instructions on furniture procurement, warning that incidents like the past “pillow, curtain and goat scandal” must not be repeated, while ensuring quality and reasonable pricing.