Uproar in JS as Home Minister’s remarks trigger calls for retraction

The third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad began amid uproar on Thursday after Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed likened an opposition MP’s question to “a speech at Paltan,” prompting opposition lawmakers to demand that the remark be withdrawn. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad warned that continued disorder could jeopardise the future of Parliament.

The session began at 3pm with the Speaker in the chair. Following the adoption of a condolence motion and the formation of a panel of chairmen, the House entered the question-and-answer session, where the disruption occurred.

The controversy erupted when the Home Minister responded to a supplementary question from opposition MP Hasnat Abdullah of Cumilla-4 about the country’s law and order situation.

While defending law enforcement measures and criticising the opposition’s past record on national security, Salahuddin said, “I could not understand whether it was a question or a speech at Paltan.”

The comment immediately drew protests from the opposition benches. MPs stood up, chanted slogans and demanded that the minister retract his statement, forcing proceedings to be suspended for several minutes.

Seeking to restore order, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed concern over the future of Parliament if such behaviour continued from the opening day of the session. He stressed that lawmakers were now free to criticise the government, saying, “This is not the Awami League era.”

Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman raised a point of order, describing the Home Minister’s comment as unparliamentary and provocative. He accused the minister of addressing MPs “as though they were his students” and called for the remark to be expunged from the parliamentary record.

The Speaker assured lawmakers that any unparliamentary remarks would be removed from the record after the session’s transcripts were reviewed.

Parliamentary business later resumed. The Home Minister informed the House that 19,641 firearms licences had been issued between 2010 and 2024. He also said the government planned to recruit 4,000 sub-inspectors, 400 sergeants and 10,000 constables.

Earlier, the Speaker announced a five-member panel of chairmen comprising Goyeshwar Chandra Roy (Dhaka-3), Sarwar Jamal Nizam (Chattogram-13), Barrister Nawshad Zamir (Panchagarh-1), Nilufar Chowdhury Moni (Women’s Seat-10) and Professor Mujibur Rahman (Rajshahi-1). They will preside over parliamentary proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker according to seniority.

The House also adopted a condolence motion for former acting president and speaker Barrister Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, along with other former MPs and ministers. Tributes were paid to Ekushey Padak recipients Al Mujahidi and Mustafa Monwar, as well as academic Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque.

Parliament expressed sorrow over the devastating floods and landslides in Nepal and fatal accidents at home and abroad. Lawmakers observed a minute’s silence, followed by a munajat led by Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad.

Before the session, the Business Advisory Committee met at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban’s Cabinet Room under the Speaker’s chairmanship, with Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman in attendance.

The committee decided that the session would continue until September 10, with sittings beginning at 3pm on working days, excluding holidays and August 31–September 1. The Speaker was authorised to adjust the schedule if necessary.

A total of 2,818 questions were submitted for the session, including 142 addressed to the Prime Minister and 2,676 to other ministers. Lawmakers also submitted 81 Calling Attention notices and 249 Resolution notices.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said the formation of parliamentary committees would be a key priority, subject to the opposition submitting its nominations.