Parliament on Tuesday witnessed an uproar following BNP lawmaker Fazlur Rahman ’s remark that no family member of freedom fighters can join the politics of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

“The Leader of the Opposition said that he is from the family of freedom fighters and he is from the family of martyrs and he is a man of Jamaat-e-Islam. This is a double crime. No one from the family of freedom fighters can join Jamaat,” said Fazlur Rahman (Kishoreganj-4).

He made the remarks, participating in the discussion on thanksgiving motion on the President speech.

A tense situation erupted as the opposition lawmakers protested Fazlur Rahman’s remarks that disrupted his statement for several minutes.

But some treasury bench members were also seen supporting Fazlur Rahman – a freedom fighter – asking him to continue his speech and asking the opposition to take their seats.

At this stage, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad asked both treasury and opposition bench members to maintain discipline.

When the Speaker stands, it has become the duty of Members of Parliament to take their respective seats and listen attentively, said the Speaker asking the opposition bench to allow Fazlur Rahman to complete his speech.

The Speaker said if they (opposition members) want, they could have ample time to raise counter logics to refute his speech.

He also reminded lawmakers that the proceedings were being broadcast live and the entire nation was watching the conduct of Parliament.

Fazlur Rahman in his speech criticised what he described as attempts to compare the 1971 Liberation War and freedom fighters with the July movement and its warriors, saying this was unfair.

Comparing the two, he said equating the Liberation War with the August movement was like comparing the Pacific Ocean with a well.

The BNP MP also strongly defended the historical narrative of the Liberation War, rejecting any attempt to undermine the sacrifice of three million martyrs, and launched sharp criticism at Jamaat and its politics.

At the one point, he said, “They (predecessors of current Jamaat leaders) could have killed our leader Ziaur Rahman, if they found him before December 16 in 1971.”

However, the veteran politician said he respect those who sacrificed their lives in the August movement and wished salvation of their departed souls.

Noting that Jamaat campaigned before the last general election that they would secure two-third majority in the election, he said he at that time remarked that he would intake poison, if they would be able to secure two-third majority. “They (Jamaat) can never win the political battle as their predecessors had not wanted (independence of) Bangladesh.”

Fazlur Rahman said he does not show disrespect towards the Leader of the Opposition, but their party men called him as ‘Foza Pagla’ to undermine him.

In response, the Speaker said none uttered words like ‘Foza Pagla’ inside the Parliament and asked him as to why he raise it there.

The uproar intensified when he returned to his comments that no family member of freedom fighters can join politics of Jamaat, drawing loud protests from Jamaat lawmakers and their allies, including members of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish.

However, National Citizen Party (NCP) MPs present in the House remained seated during the confrontation.

Some treasury bench members also stood up amid the commotion, while several ministers, including Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, were seen urging members to calm down.

Later, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman said Fazlur Rahman had personally hurt him as he had no right to undermine other’s contribution while raising his contribution to the Liberation War.

“He (Fazlur Rahman) said that no freedom fighter or anyone from the family of a martyred freedom fighter can join Jamaat. So, do we need to ask him to do so? I strongly condemn it,” said the Opposition Leader.

The BNP lawmaker questioned his identity, which is a grave offence and he questioned his ideological choice, which is also another offence, said Jamaat chief asking the Speaker to expunge ‘unparliamentary words’ from Fazlur Rahman’s speech.

Later, when Fazlur Rahman sought to speak again, the Speaker declined to give him the floor, saying he did not want the House to become heated again.

The Speaker said any unparliamentary remarks made by either Fazlur Rahman or the opposition leader would be examined and expunged if necessary.

Earlier in his speech, Fazlur Rahman also touched on the issue of immunity for post-August 5 violence and looting the police stations, and stressed the need for investigations into police killings and looting of police stations after August 5, 2024.