Independent MP Rumeen Farhana on Thursday alleged that she was subjected to abusive language by fellow lawmakers in parliament, saying such behaviour was unacceptable under parliamentary norms.
She made the allegation while taking part in the discussion on the Armed Police Battalion Bill in parliament, referring to an incident during Wednesday’s discussion on the Bank Resolution (Amendment) Bill when government MPs protested her remarks.
“While speaking on the bill, the situation I faced yesterday made me feel that it was not possible to raise a dissenting voice in this parliament,” Rumeen said.
She said the behaviour she witnessed after she finished her speech was not something that should happen in the parliament of a democratic country.
“If there was anything to counter what I said, it could have been said by standing up or after I finished my speech,” she said.
“Not only that, Mr Speaker, members of parliament sitting around me in this august House used abusive language against me. This does not fall within parliamentary norms,” she said.
Government MPs were seen protesting during her remarks.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed then asked the members to stop and said he supported freedom of speech in parliament.
“I stand for freedom of speech in this parliament. I hope that no obstruction will be created when members of the government or opposition speak,” he said.
“What happened yesterday has happened. We have to look towards the future. I respect your sentiments,” the Speaker said.
Rumin said a parliament would have members from the ruling party, opposition and independent MPs, and they could hold different views.
“Everyone should have the freedom to express their views,” she said.
Referring to the 2018 parliament, she said she had faced a similar situation when she had spoken alone in parliament in favour of the BNP.
“After that, we brought a government through voting at the cost of the lives of several thousand people. If there is no minimum change here, I do not think there is any reason for us to remain in parliament pretending to be the opposition just to vote,” she said.
Speaking about the replacement of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Rumeen said the demand for its abolition was not restricted to political parties other than the Awami League.
“International human rights organisations, from the United Nations onwards, had also raised questions about abolishing this organisation,” she said.
She said the proposed new agency should not simply amount to changing the name and uniform of the existing force.
“We have to consider its investigation system, detention procedures and detention orders,” she said.
At this point, the Speaker reminded her that the discussion was about the Armed Police Battalion and that the Special Response Battalion (SRB) Bill had already been passed.
Rumeen said she had seen people being harassed, tortured and intimidated in different ways by law enforcement agencies in the past.
“We do not want the behaviour of any such agency in the future,” she said.
She said Bangladesh had embarked on a path towards democracy and expressed hope that all political parties represented in parliament would respect democratic principles.
She urged the Home Ministry and the government to ensure that the police, RAB or any other state force operates within rules and discipline and remains free from political influence and interference.
Responding to Rumeen, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said he was unwilling to respond to irrelevant remarks made in connection with a bill.
“Yesterday there was a bill of the Finance Minister, involving the repeal of Section 18(k) of a law. There was no statement related to that. There were other issues. That is why this question has arisen again,” he said.