AL MPs urged to join House

The budget session of eighth national parliament began on Tuesday amidst continued boycott of Parliament session by Awami League lawmakers.

The session with Speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar in the chair began at 5.15 pm .
In his address of welcome Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar called upon the opposition lawmakers to perform their constitutional duties in the House by joining the budget session.

"I hope the opposition lawmakers will discharge their constitutional responsibilities by taking part in the discussion on budget and other parliamentary activities to mark their respect to parliamentary democracy," the Speaker said.

Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar said as speaker he has been discharging his duties impartially and with neutrality. Pointing to Awami League lawmakers he said "you will get right share of time for your discussions on the proposed budget. Taking part in it you can give a perfect guidelines in the interest of the nation," he added.

Awami League parliament members have been abstaining from parliament since the 15th session on various reasons, including refusal of the Speaker to hold discussion on the killing of ASM Kibria by adjourning day''s business during the 15th session.

Lawmakers of other opposition parties-Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League and independents-however, were present in the House on the first day of the session. Prime Minister and Leader of the House Begum Khaleda Zia and other senior ministers were also present.

Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman will present the national budget of over Tk 64,000 crore for the fiscal 2005-6 in parliament on Thursday and the budget will be passed on June 30.

Earlier, the meeting of Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee was held at the Sangsad Bhaban with Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar in the chair.

The meeting decided to run the budget session till July 10 after conducting businesses for 23 working days.

UNB adds: The National Budget for fiscal 2005-06 will be placed in Parliament on June 9 and passed on June 30.

The Finance Bill for 2005-2006 will be passed on June 29. This was decided by the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee at a meeting at the Sangsad Bhaban today with Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar in the chair. The meeting also decided to run the budget session till July 10 after conducting businesses for 23 working days.

It tentatively decided that discussion would be held on the supplementary budget (2004-05) on June 12 and 13 while the supplementary budget would be passed on June 14.

The House will sit everyday at 5:30 pm with weekly holidays on Fridays and Saturdays.
There will be no sitting of Parliament tomorrow (Wednesday), a day before the presentation of the budget by Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman on Thursday at 3 pm .

The meeting was attended by Leader of the House Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Finance Minister M Daifur Rahman, LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, Chief Whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Maudud Ahmed, Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, PM's parliamentary affairs advisor Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury, Abdus Sobhan MP on behalf of Industries Minister Matiur Rahman Nizami and Begum Rowshan Ershad of Jatiya Party.