No thanks to Iajuddin: Khaleda Zia
bdnews24.com, Dhaka
Leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia on Tuesday gave the opposite of thanks in parliament for president Iajuddin Ahmed's Jan 25 address.
The BNP chairperson accused Iajuddin of "exiling democracy" and violating the constitution.
"I cannot thank him. I am sorry," said Khaleda on the closing day of the first session of the ninth parliament.
"His speech contained nothing for which he should be given thanks."
"He sent democracy into exile. This parliament cannot thank him," said the chairperson of the main opposition BNP, under whose tenure Iajuddin was elected president.
Khaleda said, "We elected Iajuddin Ahmed as president. We respected him as a citizen. He had a role in the anti-autocracy movement."
"We expected that he would respect his oath of office," she said.
"But when he had full authority (of the state), he could neither protect the constitution nor his oath of office," she said of the president under whose term the country saw an unprecedented two-year caretaker government.
She said none of the members either from the ruling party or the opposition had thanked the president.
"If we respect their opinion, he should not be thanked".
The leader of the opposition was speaking ahead of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was also set to address the House.
Khaleda's press secretary told bdnews24.com the occasion marked only her third appearance in the House since its first sitting on Jan 25.
Meanwhile, some 170 MPs belonging to the Awami League-led alliance have delivered their official thank-yous on the president's address, parliament officials said.
The treasury bench spent 1,335 minutes (over 22 hours) for the speeches.
Some 19 opposition MPs gave thanks on the address, taking 186 minutes (about three hours).
The former president, however, received few "thanks" in actuality, as many MPs have bitterly criticised his controversial role before and after the 1/11 changeover.
First JS session draws to a close.
The first session of the ninth parliament was drawing to a close on Tuesday with a full House.
The ninth parliament has so far made history by forming all its parliamentary standing committees in the first session.
None of the previous eight parliaments could form the parliamentary watchdogs on different ministries, to ensure parliamentary transparency and accountability, at the first session.
In some cases, they took up to three years to form them.
Up to Monday, the House has passed 30 bills, mainly with a view to validating the ordinances made by the previous interim government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed. The House passed another bill on Tuesday on land acquisition for the proposed Padma Bridge, set to be the country's longest span.
Speaker Abdul Hamid was also scheduled to read out an address of president Md Zillur Rahman before the 39-day session draws to a close.
leading news
