The atmosphere in Parliament became very heated for some time over an apparently derogatory remark by a ruling party MP on Jatiya Party founder and ex. president, late HM Ershad. Ruling party MP from Lalmonirhat Motahar Hossain, while speaking at the thanksgiving motion on President’s speech, claimed that Ershad lost his security money in the January 5, 2014 election against him. His comments created anarchy in the House for some time. Jatiya Party MP Firoz Rashid stood and started to speak without the microphone and protested what he called the ‘derogatory remark’ from the ruling party MP. At one stage Deputy Speaker Shamshul Huq Tuku, who was in the chair, asked him to sit down and wait to be given the floor. But Rashid did not stop and at that time shouting from different directions was heard in the House. Motahar, who still had the mic, asked how Rashid expects to speak while another MP is speaking. Deputy Speaker at that time turned off all microphones, and gave the floor to Firoz Rashid for one minute. The Jatiya Party MP accused Motahar of lying. “His (Motahar Hossain) speech should be expunged and he should seek apology,” he said. Opposition Chief Whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga also threatened to leave the House, shouting without the mic. Deputy Speaker asked him to sit down and speak later on point of order. But Ranga did not pay heed to him and continued shouting. Read more: Parliament now a one-party club: Fakhrul At that stage, deputy speaker assured him that if there is anything objectionable it will be expunged. He also asked Motahar to stick to the agenda and gave the microphone back to him. At this point, speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was seen to enter the House hurriedly and taking her seat. She asked for calm and all to sit down. “There is a decorum in the House, now discussion on the President’s speech is going on, one person is speaking, if there are any objectionable words in that speech you can raise that and it will be expunged after scrutiny. For that you have to wait for sometime,” she said. She gave the floor to Motahar Hossain, and now he claimed that he did not say anything untrue. Standing on point of order, Firoz Rashid said that it is indecent to say anything derogatory against a dead person. “Mr Motahar should know that Mr Ershad never suffered defeat in the land of Rangpur,” he said. He also said that Ershad did not participate in the 2014 election. “There is no one in Rangpur who can inflict a defeat on Mr Ershad in Rangpur where he loses his security money, in any election. There should be a limit of audacity, we demand full expunge of this speech, otherwise he will face problems in the land of Rangpur,” he said. Read more: 21st Parliament session to continue till Feb 9 In the controversial 2014 election, Motahar got 189,814 votes in Lalmonirhat-1 constituency while Ershad got 5381 votes. Lalmonirhat is in Rangpur division.    

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said the repeated obstructions by the ruling party at opposition political programmes are an ominous sign for the upcoming national election. He also warned that the country may witness serious political violence in the days to come if political parties cannot hold peaceful programmes. GM Quader, also the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting Shafiqul Islam, a Jatiya Party leader of Pirojpur, who has been receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital with severe injuries after being attacked by assailants.  "We are being prevented in various places from carrying out political activities systematically,” he said. The Jatiya Party chairman alleged that their party could not hold a peaceful programme in Gazipur on Friday due to obstruction by law enforcers. He said their party tried to hold the rally to express their opinion in a peaceful manner in Gazipur. “If we’re obstructed, how can politics be normal and where will normal politics prevail? If the path of normal politics is blocked in such a way, then I fear the country will be headed for major violence in the future and this is an ominous sign for the upcoming elections," Quader observed. Read: Jatiya Party to shun alliances at next election: GM Quader He also said the ruling party is sending out a message by blocking the oppositions’ programmes that they are ready to flex their muscles during the next election.  “It is very unfortunate.  We believe in systematic politics.  We don't believe in violence.” The Jatiya Party chairman said the government must ensure political parties’ right to freedom of expression, of assembly and to demonstrate. “If we’re obstructed from doing these, then normal politics won’t continue here. The normal politics will be replaced by violent politics and normal politics may finally disappear, inviting a huge danger for us," he said. GM Quader said he visited seriously wounded Shafiqul and talked to doctors about his condition. He alleged that the ruling party ‘cadres’ hacked  Shafiqul, General Secretary of the local JP unit in Tuskhali Union of Pirojpur's Mathbaria Upazila, and severed one of his legs while he (Shafiqul) was on his way to a local court.  “This attack was carried out with the intention of killing Shafiqul Islam.  Now his condition is critical.  Even if he survives, he will have to live with the curse of disability for the rest of his life,” GM Quader bemoaned.   He demanded exemplary punishment for those involved in the attack on Shafiqul.

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) lost parliament majority as 42 members of parliament (MPs) on Tuesday announced they would sit independently. Also Read: Sri Lanka opposition rejects proposed unity government Among the 42 MPs, 14 are from Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 10 belong to constituent parties of the government, and 12 are SLPP MPs, among others. The ruling SLPP-led alliance won 146 seats in the 225-member parliament in the 2020 general election. Also Read: Four ministers sworn into Sri Lanka's new cabinet  

Awami League on Saturday selected its candidates for the fifth phase elections to 31 municipalities, billed for February 28.

Denouncing the killing of its councillor-elect in Saturday’s Sirajganj municipal polls, BNP on Sunday alleged that the Awami League has turned Bangladesh into a "death valley" as justice has disappeared from the country.

Azerbaijan's ruling party has retained its parliamentary majority, according to initial election results announced on Monday.

The ruling party Awami League started the sale of its nomination forms for the upcoming by-elections in three vacant parliamentary constituencies.

Accusing the ruling party activists of obstructing the electioneering of their party-backed councillor candidates, BNP’s mayoral candidate of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) election Ishraque Hossain demanded the Election Commission to ensure a level-playing field.