Parliament sound system glitch turns dire, chief whip warns action after session

He says 258-grade microphones were supplied despite 38-grade ones being specified in the contract

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni has expressed frustration over the parliament sound system, saying problems have taken a “complex form”.

Speaking to journalists during a session break on Wednesday, he said immediate fixes are impossible while the parliament is sitting, but "stringent action" will be taken against those responsible once the current session concludes.

“Even today, the sitting was delayed by 30 minutes. We are very embarrassed about the sound system. It does not work properly even inside the chamber,” he added.

Alleging irregularities in the procurement and installation of the system, Moni said the contract had been awarded during the “fascist” regime.

“You would be surprised to hear that a construction company was given the contract. What role can a construction firm play in a sound system?

“No qualified person was appointed to oversee the work,” he said.

The chief whip alleged that although grade 38 microphones were supposed to be supplied, grade 258 microphones were delivered instead.

Raising concerns about the tender process, he said that in a project worth Tk 38.4 million, a company that submitted a bid with only a small difference did not initially win the contract, but was later awarded the work.

He described the incident as “extremely unfortunate and a serious irregularity”.

Moni added that cancelling the current sound system would bring parliamentary proceedings to a complete halt.

Therefore, the matter would be investigated after the session, and those found responsible would face action.