Dhaka, July 8 (Inditop.com) Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has come under fire in parliament for its report claiming that lawmakers waste public money by arriving late or staying away, causing disruptions in the functioning of the house.
Criticised by successive governments for its findings on issues of corruption and wastage of public funds, the TIB said in its report, Parliament Watch 2009, that Tk 54.1 million ($900,000) was wasted due to the quorum crisis in the inaugural session of the ninth parliament.
Speaker Abdul Hamid questioned the figure claimed by the TIB as Chief Whip Abdus Shahid said the organisation had “humiliated parliament and the nation before the world”.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was present but did not participate, media reports said.
Raising a point of order, a parliamentary practice meant to take up unscheduled urgent business, Shahid blasted TIB for giving “false information’.
Treasury bench lawmakers supported his views by thumping their desks, The Daily Star said Wednesday.
“TIB undermined the parliament and the nation as well as by giving false information on quorum crisis and wastage of money,” Shahid said.
Speaker Abdul Hamid said TIB should come up with accurate information.
“They (TIB) should think carefully before disclosing any information. Everybody should be sincere so that nation is not misled for wrong information,” the speaker said.
Hamid questioned TIB’s jurisdiction to prepare the report, released Saturday. He also asked how TIB collected the information since they did not come to him.
He, however, admitted that the house sittings begin seven to 12 minutes behind the scheduled time.
“I attended many roundtable discussions organised by civil society (bodies) that started even 45 minutes late. Compared to them parliament is in a better position,” the speaker said.
The perceived wastage of funds is notional and takes place in legislatures across the world, analysts said.
rounak