Opposition walks out of parliament over ‘no remedy’ on constitutional reform motion

"We came to resolve crises, not create them," says Opposition Leader Shafiqur

Members of the opposition have staged a walkout from the parliament, alleging a "lack of remedy" concerning their adjournment motion to convene a meeting of the Constitution Reform Council.

Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman announced the walkout during a point of order around 5:40pm on Wednesday, following the question-and-answer session.

This marks the second time the opposition has walked out since the parliament began on Mar 12.

The opposition expressed frustration over the lack of a concrete decision on their motion.

Shafiqur claimed that a separate notice on the same issue was introduced merely to suppress their proposal.

Before leading the exit, Shafiqur noted that their notice specifically concerned the convening of the council in light of the referendum and proposed reforms.

He added that while the opposition was open to a special parliamentary committee as suggested by the home minister, such a committee must have equal representation from both the treasury and opposition benches to be meaningful.

"We came here to resolve crises, not to create them," Shafiqur said, addressing Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.

"This is a matter of public aspiration involving the mandate of 70 percent of the voters. We expected a remedy through you, but I could not understand if any decision was made," he said.

In response, the speaker clarified that the adjournment motion had been accepted in his absence by the deputy speaker to allow for a "vibrant discussion".

He noted the rarity of such motions, pointing out that only three adjournment motions -- regarding Anwar Hossain Manju, the Aug 21 grenade attack, and the Coast Guard -- had been accepted in Bangladesh's 53-year parliamentary history.

The speaker explained the limitations of the procedure, saying an adjournment motion cannot address issues that require legislation.

However, he assured the opposition of further opportunities to speak.

"This is the House of the People. You and the treasury bench must decide through open discussion," the speaker added.

Unsatisfied with the explanation, Shafiqur argued that the issue transcended party lines and was a commitment made by all sides before the election.

"Since we have received no remedy, the verdict of the people has not been reflected or valued. We cannot accept this devaluation of the opposition. We are walking out in protest," he declared before leaving the chamber with his fellow lawmakers.