Dhaka: 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.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Rumeen expressed her concerns over the hostile environment she encountered, emphasizing that it was challenging to voice dissenting opinions in parliament. She highlighted that the behaviour she witnessed after her speech was inappropriate for a democratic setting. Rumeen argued that if there were counterpoints to her statements, they should have been addressed respectfully rather than through abusive language.
Government MPs were seen protesting during her remarks. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed then intervened, expressing his support for freedom of speech in parliament and urging members to allow open dialogue. He acknowledged Rumeen's sentiments and called for a forward-looking approach to parliamentary discussions.
Rumeen reiterated that parliament should accommodate diverse perspectives from ruling party members, opposition, and independent MPs. She drew parallels to her past experiences in the 2018 parliament when she advocated for the BNP, emphasizing the need for genuine opposition voices rather than token representation.
Addressing the issue of law enforcement, Rumeen discussed the demand for the abolition of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), noting that international human rights organizations had also questioned its existence. She stressed that any new agency should not merely be a rebranding of the existing force but should involve comprehensive reforms in investigation and detention practices.
The Speaker reminded Rumeen to focus on the Armed Police Battalion Bill, noting that the Special Response Battalion (SRB) Bill had already been passed. Rumeen expressed her concerns about past abuses by law enforcement agencies and urged the government to ensure that future agencies operate within legal and ethical boundaries.
In response, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said he would not address irrelevant remarks related to the bill, pointing out that previous discussions had not focused on the Finance Minister's bill, which involved repealing a legal provision.