Errant MPs embarrass ruling party
A section of ruling Awami League lawmakers have made themselves controversial by activities like bullying government officials and killing, torture and intimidation of their rivals in the party and the opposition in different districts ignoring party chief Sheikh Hasina's instructions to abide by the laws.
Most of the ruling party MPs are patronising their henchmen who seem hell-bent on grabbing whatever they could in respective constituencies.
When approached for comments on violation of laws and instructions of the party high command by a section of its lawmakers, some senior party leaders said they were embarrassed by such activities.
The AL is planning to launch separate investigations into some of the incidents of violation of laws by the errant party lawmakers, a party leader said.
AL lawmaker Sheikh Afil Uddin allegedly assaulted Enamul Huq, officer-in-charge of Sharsa police station, in Jessore on Sunday night for recording a murder case without his (Afil) consent. Enamul claimed that Afil had asked him to come to the lawmaker's jute mill on Sunday evening with the statement of a case filed over the murder of BNP activist Abdul Hamid.
When he went to the mill, Afil rebuked and slapped him for arresting an accused in the case without the lawmaker's permission. Ruling party activists Musa Mahmud, Asad and Kamal also assaulted the police officer there. Enamul filed a general diary over the incident.
Rina Akter, widow of Awami Juba League leader Ibrahim Ahmed and president of ward 14 Mahila League, said her husband was killed at AL lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon's NAM apartment on Friday. Shaon was elected lawmaker for Bhola-3 constituency in the recently held by-polls.
A Savar police outpost traffic sergeant, Shariful Islam, on July 8 filed a case with Ashulia police station accusing Awami League lawmaker for Dhaka-15 constituency Elias Uddin Mollah of beating him up while he was on duty at Ashulia on the afternoon of June 30.
Chapainawabganj municipality mayor Ataur Rahman filed a case on April 9 against Abdul Wadud, AL lawmaker for Chapainawabganj-3, on charges of grabbing land.
MA Latif, ruling party lawmaker for Chittagong-10 constituency, tried to force his way into a meeting of the Water Transport Coordination Cell (WTCC) in the port city in June last year. When he was prevented from doing so, he is alleged to have hurled abuses at the police officials present there and even had the premises put under lock and key, though abortively.
Awami League lawmaker Sarah Begum Kabari allegedly slapped local daily newspaper Sitalakkhya's photojournalist Sheikh Shahidul Islam Sentu in Narayanganj on March 15, 2009 for publishing a report which she did not like. She also assaulted Fatema Manir, an upazila vice chairman, in a separate incident.
Cronies of AL lawmaker Golam Moula Roni filed four 'false' cases against two local journalists at Galachipa in Patuakhali in a bid to avenge their reports on land grabbing on a riverbank and setting up of a market with Roni's backing.
Awami League lawmaker for Cox's Bazar-4 Abdur Rahman Bodi assaulted Abdul Halim, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department, on June 16 last year.
Ruling party lawmaker Abdul Mannan of Jhenidah-4 constituency became president of the governing body of 11 educational institutions violating government rules. A person can become president of four educational institutions in his or her constituency, according to government rules.
Zakir Hossain, AL lawmaker for Kurigram-4 constituency, assaulted Mosharraf Hossain, a land office staff in Raomari upazila, on January 6.
Moazzem Hossain Ratan, Awami League lawmaker for Sunamganj-1 constituency, beat up Akkasuddin Ahmed, president of Jayasree High School and general secretary of Jayasree union Awami League, for not selecting the person nominated by the MP as office assistant.
In several meetings of the Awami League Parliamentary Party, prime minister Sheikh Hasina warned her party deputies against unruly behaviour, abuse of power and corruption.
While addressing a meeting of the AL PP on January 25 this year, Hasina, also president of the party, asked the ruling party lawmakers to abide by laws.
The government, however, did not file regular cases against the party lawmakers concerned, excepting the case filed against Elias Uddin Mollah, for abuse of power.
The Awami League is also yet to take action against them.
Senior Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu declined comments when asked about such blatant arrogance of the fellow lawmakers,. 'Forgive me,' he told New Age over telephone on August 17.
Mahabub-ul-Alam Hanif, a joint general secretary of the party, said the party would launch investigations into the incidents.
'Law will take its own course against the persons involved in violating law,' he said. 'Nobody is above law,' he added.
Most of the ruling party MPs are patronising their henchmen who seem hell-bent on grabbing whatever they could in respective constituencies.
When approached for comments on violation of laws and instructions of the party high command by a section of its lawmakers, some senior party leaders said they were embarrassed by such activities.
The AL is planning to launch separate investigations into some of the incidents of violation of laws by the errant party lawmakers, a party leader said.
AL lawmaker Sheikh Afil Uddin allegedly assaulted Enamul Huq, officer-in-charge of Sharsa police station, in Jessore on Sunday night for recording a murder case without his (Afil) consent. Enamul claimed that Afil had asked him to come to the lawmaker's jute mill on Sunday evening with the statement of a case filed over the murder of BNP activist Abdul Hamid.
When he went to the mill, Afil rebuked and slapped him for arresting an accused in the case without the lawmaker's permission. Ruling party activists Musa Mahmud, Asad and Kamal also assaulted the police officer there. Enamul filed a general diary over the incident.
Rina Akter, widow of Awami Juba League leader Ibrahim Ahmed and president of ward 14 Mahila League, said her husband was killed at AL lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon's NAM apartment on Friday. Shaon was elected lawmaker for Bhola-3 constituency in the recently held by-polls.
A Savar police outpost traffic sergeant, Shariful Islam, on July 8 filed a case with Ashulia police station accusing Awami League lawmaker for Dhaka-15 constituency Elias Uddin Mollah of beating him up while he was on duty at Ashulia on the afternoon of June 30.
Chapainawabganj municipality mayor Ataur Rahman filed a case on April 9 against Abdul Wadud, AL lawmaker for Chapainawabganj-3, on charges of grabbing land.
MA Latif, ruling party lawmaker for Chittagong-10 constituency, tried to force his way into a meeting of the Water Transport Coordination Cell (WTCC) in the port city in June last year. When he was prevented from doing so, he is alleged to have hurled abuses at the police officials present there and even had the premises put under lock and key, though abortively.
Awami League lawmaker Sarah Begum Kabari allegedly slapped local daily newspaper Sitalakkhya's photojournalist Sheikh Shahidul Islam Sentu in Narayanganj on March 15, 2009 for publishing a report which she did not like. She also assaulted Fatema Manir, an upazila vice chairman, in a separate incident.
Cronies of AL lawmaker Golam Moula Roni filed four 'false' cases against two local journalists at Galachipa in Patuakhali in a bid to avenge their reports on land grabbing on a riverbank and setting up of a market with Roni's backing.
Awami League lawmaker for Cox's Bazar-4 Abdur Rahman Bodi assaulted Abdul Halim, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department, on June 16 last year.
Ruling party lawmaker Abdul Mannan of Jhenidah-4 constituency became president of the governing body of 11 educational institutions violating government rules. A person can become president of four educational institutions in his or her constituency, according to government rules.
Zakir Hossain, AL lawmaker for Kurigram-4 constituency, assaulted Mosharraf Hossain, a land office staff in Raomari upazila, on January 6.
Moazzem Hossain Ratan, Awami League lawmaker for Sunamganj-1 constituency, beat up Akkasuddin Ahmed, president of Jayasree High School and general secretary of Jayasree union Awami League, for not selecting the person nominated by the MP as office assistant.
In several meetings of the Awami League Parliamentary Party, prime minister Sheikh Hasina warned her party deputies against unruly behaviour, abuse of power and corruption.
While addressing a meeting of the AL PP on January 25 this year, Hasina, also president of the party, asked the ruling party lawmakers to abide by laws.
The government, however, did not file regular cases against the party lawmakers concerned, excepting the case filed against Elias Uddin Mollah, for abuse of power.
The Awami League is also yet to take action against them.
Senior Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu declined comments when asked about such blatant arrogance of the fellow lawmakers,. 'Forgive me,' he told New Age over telephone on August 17.
Mahabub-ul-Alam Hanif, a joint general secretary of the party, said the party would launch investigations into the incidents.
'Law will take its own course against the persons involved in violating law,' he said. 'Nobody is above law,' he added.
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