Parliament
Modi opponents boycott opening of new parliament building as PM reshapes India’s power corridor
India's major opposition parties Sunday boycotted the inauguration of a new parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a rare show of unity against his Hindu nationalist ruling party, which has spent nine years in power and is seeking a third term in general elections next year.
Modi inaugurated the new parliament in the capital of New Delhi by offering prayers as Hindu priests chanted religious hymns at the start of the ceremony. Opposition parties criticized the event saying the prime minister had sidelined President Droupadi Murmu, who has only ceremonial powers but is the head of state and highest constitutional authority.
"May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality," Modi tweeted shortly after the inauguration.
Senior ministers from Modi's party and leaders from its alliance partners attended the inauguration but at least 19 opposition parties skipped the event, which coincided with the birth anniversary of a Hindu nationalism ideologue.
Opposition parties said in a statement Wednesday that Modi's "decision to inaugurate the building by himself" was "a grave insult" to India's democracy, adding that the ruling government had "disqualified, suspended and muted" opposition lawmakers while passing "controversial legislation" with little debate.
"When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the parliament, we find no value in a new building," the parties said.
India's powerful Home Minister Amit Shah said the opposition had politicized the event and other leaders from Modi's party said the boycott is "an insult to the prime minister."
The new triangular-shaped building — built at an estimated cost of $120 million — is part of a $2.8 billion revamp of British-era offices and residences in central New Delhi that will also include blocks of buildings to house government ministries and departments, and Modi's new private residence. The entire project, called the "Central Vista," is spread over 3.2 kilometers (1.9 miles).
The project was announced in 2019 and Modi laid its foundation a year later in December 2020.
The plan has drawn intense criticism from opposition politicians, architects and heritage experts, many of whom have called it environmentally irresponsible, a threat to cultural heritage and too expensive.
Outrage grew in 2021 when at least 12 opposition parties questioned the project's timing, saying it was built as the country faced a devastating surge in coronavirus cases. They branded the revamp as Modi's "vanity project" and said its construction was prioritized over the loss of lives and livelihoods during the pandemic.
A year earlier, a group of 60 former civil servants wrote an open letter to Modi to highlight the architectural value of the old parliament building and said the new plan would "irrevocably" destroy the area's cultural heritage.
Modi's government has said the revamp was necessary because the older building was "showing signs of distress and over utilization" and that the new design "combines the country's heritage and traditions."
The newly inaugurated building sits just across from India's old parliament, a circular structure designed by British architects in the early 20th century. The new four-story building has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, almost 500 more than the old building.
The old parliament will be converted into a museum.
During the televised ceremony Sunday, Modi prostrated before a royal golden scepter that his Bharatiya Janata Party says symbolized the transfer of power when it was gifted to the country's first prime minister on the eve of India's independence from Britain in 1947. Dozens of Hindu priests followed Modi inside the parliament, where he installed the scepter near the chair of the speaker.
Modi's critics and opposition leaders have questioned the scepter's historicity and said the emblem is appropriate to a monarchy, not a democracy.
The prime minister's supporters see the new parliament as his attempt to remake India's power corridor and disrupt the country's colonial legacy.
Last year, Modi inaugurated a revamped colonial avenue in the heart of New Delhi that is used for ceremonial military parades. The boulevard was earlier called "Rajpath," or Kingsway, but Modi's party changed it to "Kartavya Path," or road to duty, arguing the old name was a "symbol of slavery" that had "been erased forever."
Many such moves by Modi's ruling government have been met with strong criticism, but the controversy over the new parliament building has been the most fractious.
It comes just months after opposition leaders protested Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Parliament in a defamation case over remarks he made about Modi's surname.
Hours before the new parliament was opened, the Congress party's general secretary, Jairam Ramesh, criticized Modi again.
"A self-glorifying authoritarian Prime Minister with utter disdain for Parliamentary procedures, who rarely attends Parliament or engages in it, inaugurates the New Parliament building in 2023," he tweeted.
Barely a mile away from the ceremony, a heavy police presence overpowered about 100 protesting Indian wrestlers and their supporters, who have accused their federation president of sexual harassment and had planned to march to the new parliament building. Some of the protesters scuffled with police and were taken away in a bus.
The protesters have been staging demonstrations in New Delhi for nearly a month demanding the resignation and arrest of Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing young athletes.
Singh, who has denied the accusations, is a powerful lawmaker from Modi's party.
Parliament to go into budget session May 31
This year the budget session of the Parliament will begin on May 31 as Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is scheduled to present the national budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year on June 1.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin summoned the 23th session (Budget Session) of the 11th parliament exercising power bestowed upon him by Article 72(1) of the Constitution.
The budget session will start at 5:00pm on May 31, said a press release from Parliament on Sunday.
On May 11 last, the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday approved a Tk 263,000 crore Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the next fiscal year (FY24) making highest allocation of Tk 75,945 crore (28.88pc of allocation) in the transport and communication sector.
Also read: 22nd session of 11th Parliament prorogued
Out of the original ADP allocation, Tk 169,000crore will be drawn from the local sources while Tk 94,000 crore will come from the foreign sources.
In 2022, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed Tk 678,064-crore national budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 in the House.
Parliament mourns demise of 9 MPs, ex-ministers, others
Parliament on Thursday unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound grief at the demise of nine former lawmakers including two ex-ministers and other noted personalities.The two former ministers are former information and communication minister Barrister Nazmul Huda, (who was also an MP in 6th, 7th and 8th Parliament from Dhaka-1), and former information minister and jute minister Habib Ullah Khan (who was also an MP in the 2nd Parliament from erstwhile Cumilla-5).The seven other former lawmakers are Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui (MP in the 1st parliament from the erstwhile Jashore-2), Reza Ali (9th parliament from Mymensingh-7), Delwar Hossain (8th parliament from Barguna-1), Shamsul Alam Pramanik (6th, 7th and 8th Parliament from Naogaon-4), Mozzamel Haque (8th parliament from Natore-4), Anwarul Hossain Khan Chowdhury (5th parliament from Mymensingh-9) and Enamul Haque ( 3rd and 4th parliament from Mymensingh-10 ).Besides, the House expressed deep shock at the death of a number of noted personalities including Ekushey padak winning sculptor Shamim Sikder, former general secretary of Awami League Laxmipur district unit freedom fighter Abu Taher, founding chairman of Rangs Group Abdur Rouf Chowdhury, photojournalist Jalaluddin Haider and former president of AL Madaripur sadar upazila unit and freedom fighter Ali Ahmed Khan.
Also read: Essential Services Bill 2023 placed in JSThe Parliament also expressed profound grief at the loss of lives and the damage of properties in different recent accidents at home and abroad, including Siddique Bazar explosion and Bangabazar fire in Dhaka, bus accident at Shibchar in Madaripur, the loss of lives in a bus accident while carrying Umrah pilgrims at Makkah in Saudi Arabia, the bus crash at Murshidabad in the West Bengal of India.Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the motion in the House in the beginning of the special session summoned on the occasion of the 50 years (Golden Jubilee) of Bangladesh Parliament.A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered seeking eternal peace for the departed souls. State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan conducted the munajat.
Teletalk owes govt Tk 1695 crore: Minister
Post and Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Tuesday told Parliament that state-owned mobile phone operator Teletalk Bangladesh Limited owes some Tk 1694.73 crore to the government.
The minister said this replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker AKM Sarwar Jahan.
The question-answer session was tabled in the House after the day’s sitting began with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Of the total outstanding amount, Tk 1585.13 crore is for 3G spectrum assignment fee, while Tk 27.15 crore for spectrum charge, Tk 33.79 crore for revenue share and Tk 48.66 crore for SOF (Service Order Form), said Mustafa Jabbar.
He said Citycell has an outstanding payment of Tk 128.698 crore with the government.
JS passes Mujibnagar University, Meherpur Bill,2023
The Mujibnagar University, Meherpur Bill, 2023 was passed in Parliament on Thursday aiming to cope up with the ever evolving modern knowledge of the world.
Education Minister Dipu Moni moved the bill and it was passed by voice vote.
The proposed university would be prototypes of other public universities.
Read more: Parliament passes new national budget by voice vote
There will be a business incubator to make the university students entrepreneurs and give them all kind of assistance at preliminary stage.
As per the bill, the disciplinary committee will propose the syndicate to take appropriate steps for resisting sexual harassment, violence and ragging.
Around 60 percent brick kilns are operating illegally: Minister
Around 60 percent of the brick kilns in the country are being operated illegally without environmental clearance.
Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shahab Uddin gave this information on Tuesday in response to a tabled question of ruling party lawmaker Mamunur Rashid Kiran in Parliament.
Read more: Govt may provide loans for producing eco-friendly bricks: Environment Minister
The minister said that the total number of brick kilns in the country (June 2022) is 7881.
Of these, 3,248 are being operated legally. But 4,633 brick kilns are operating without environmental clearance.
The minister said 41.2 percent of the brick kilns are legal and 58.8 percent are illegal.
The minister said that from 2019 to 2022, some 1,772 drives were conducted and some of Tk 77.62 crore was collected from 3,37 brick kilns.
Read more: DCs asked to take steps against brick kilns
Besides, 907 brick kilns were shut and 80 people were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.
In response to the question of ruling party MP M Abdul Latif of the government party, the minister said that about 30,000 tonnes solid wastes are generated in the cities of Bangladesh every day.
In 2025, the quantity of daily waste will increase to 47,000 tonnes.
The minister said that about 10 percent of the solid waste is plastic.
Row breaks out in JS over ruling party MP's jibe at Ershad
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.
Anti-corruption drive absent: Menon
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon on Monday said that the anti-corruption drive of the government has grinded to a halt.
“Corruption is a part of development. But those countries that are on the path of development have taken strict measures to prevent corruption,” he said.
Rashed Khan Menon said this while participating in the discussion of the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech in the Parliament.
He said that China has punished 150,000 persons for various terms on corruption charges.
“Which includes Politburo members. Vietnam has sacked its deputy prime minister. But what have we done in the case of ministers and bureaucrats? No we don’t,” he said.
Also Read: 191 news portals to be blocked for anti-state propaganda: Info Minister
Rashed Khan Menon said that he will not talk about defaulted loans and money laundering.
“There has been a lot of talk about this in Parliament. In this case, the government's thinking is like that you can say whatever you want, bit I will not pay any heed,” he said.
Rashed Khan Menon said that the US and western imperialism wanted to involve Bangladesh in their plot of war in Russia and Ukraine, whichnis leading the world towards third world war.
“The Prime Minister has managed to keep Bangladesh away from it so far. And this is why all those forces are so vocal about our elections and democracy.”
Menon made it clear that Bangladesh's democracy and elections are its own affairs.
“They should rather take care of their own matters and talk about others later,” he added.
Criticising BNP, Rashed Khan Menon said that they have given 27 points to repair the state is an attempt to take the state back to the 'illegal fifth amendment era'.
“Their 'Rainbow Nation' stands for abolishing the verdicts of the war criminals trials.”
Ctg Shahi Jame Masjid Bill 2023 passes in parliament
Chattogram Shahi Jame Masjid Bill 2023 was passed in parliament on Monday, aiming to upgrade the mosque into a center that can play an important role in preaching and proliferation of Islam in this area.
State Minister for Religious Affairs M Faridul Haque Khan moved the nill in the House and it was passed by voice votes.
The mosque was built in 1667 during Mughal rule.
The bill will replace the Chittagong Shahi Jame Masjid Ordinance 1986 which was promulgated during the military regime.
Read moe: Parliament passes new national budget by voice vote
It will provide for better management and maintenance of the Shahi Jame Masjid in Chattogram.
Any person who wrongfully obtains possession of or retains, or, having in his possession, custody or control, wrongfully withholds, any asset or property acquired, or transferred to and vested in the foundation, under this proposed law, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Sri Lanka leader suspends parliament until policy address
Sri Lanka's president suspended Parliament until Feb. 8, when he said he would announced a new set of long-term policies to address a range of issues including an unprecedented economic crisis that has engulfed the Indian Ocean nation for months.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued an extraordinary decree suspending Parliament from midnight Friday.
The government did not give a clear reason for the move, but Wickremesinghe' s office in a statement said his address to lawmakers on Feb. 8 will announce new policies and laws, which will be implemented until the centenary celebrations of Sri Lanka's independence in 2048.
It is also widely expected that Wickremesinghe would announce his policies on sharing power with ethnic minority Tamils. A civil war between the majority Sinhala-controlled Sri Lankan government and ethnic Tamil rebels killed at least 100,000 people, according to U.N. conservative calculations, before it ended with the rebels’ defeat in 2009.
Political analyst Jehan Perera said the president’s move to suspend Parliament is “to show that he is the authority.”
He said that the suspension also “symbolises a fresh start” as the president gets the opportunity “to announce all the new things that are going to be done.”
Also Read: Sri Lanka says debt-restructuring talks making progress
Unsustainable debt, a severe balance of payment crisis on top of lingering scars of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a severe shortage of essentials such as fuel, medicine and food. The soaring prices triggered massive protests last year that ousted Wickremesinghe's predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Although there are some signs of progress, daily power cuts have continued due to fuel shortages and the government is struggling to find money to pay its employees and conduct other administrative functions.
There's been a growing public displeasure over the government’s recent move to increase taxes and electricity bills in an apparent bid to obtain a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund.
Also Read: Sri Lanka’s government cuts expenses as economy tanks
Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt and has suspended repayment of nearly $7 billion in foreign debt due this year pending the outcome of talks with the IMF. The country’s total foreign debt exceeds $51 billion, of which $28 billion has to be repaid by 2027.
The government announced 6% cuts in the budgets of each ministry this year and plans to nearly half the size of the military, which had swelled to more than 200,000 personnel due to a long civil war.
During the suspension of Parliament, the speaker continues to function and lawmakers keep their seats even though they do not attend any sessions.