Treasury bench lawmakers today said if the parliament functioned continuously since its birth, the country would be a developed and best democratic country in the world.
After independence, the parliament first started its journey on April 7 in 1973 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, but unfortunately the parliament, did not worked continuously in the last 50 years, they said in the parliament.
Participating in the discussion, ruling party lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim of Gopalganj-2 said, "If the parliament functioned continuously since its inception, the country would be one of the best democratic countries in the world."
The lawmaker said after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15 in 1975, parliamentary democracy had been jeopardized at different times, adding that even the Zia-Mustaque intrigue killed Bangabandhu and other undemocratic governments made the Jatiya Sangsad a prison house.
Earlier, Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina brought a resolution under section 147 of the rules of procedure of Jatiya Sangsad with Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
After a 15-minute recess following President Abdul Hamid's speech, proceedings of the House sitting started again.
While placing the resolution, PM Hasina described the role of the parliament for implementing parliamentary democracy for the progress of the country.
Usually, the chief whip of parliament or any senior lawmaker brings proposals under section 147 for holding general discussions in the House on any important or public interest issues.
But considering the significance of the issue, the Prime Minister herself placed the resolution in the House.
Treasury bench lawmakers Tofail Ahmed of Bhola-1 and Amir Hossain Amu of Jhalokhati-2 also participated in the discussion.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha