Fugitive MP signs JS attendance book

Though a fugitive, Awami League MP from Tangail-3 Amanur Rahman Khan Rana on Monday signed the attendance book in parliament to save his membership in the House, sources at the Jatiya Sangsad said.

However, Chief Whip ASM Feroz and Whip Shahiduzzaman Sarkar told The Daily Star that they were unaware of any such development.

“It is possible that he might enter the parliament lobby and sign the attendance book to save his membership in parliament. But I am not sure about this,” said Shahiduzzaman.

"Amanur might have come to the lobby but this is for sure that he did not attend the parliament sitting because I was inside the House throughout the sitting," he added.

AL lawmaker from Tangail-6 Sanowar Hossain told this correspondent that he saw Amanur's signature on the attendance book kept at the parliament lobby.

Amanur and his three brothers are among those who stand accused in a case filed for killing Tangail AL leader and freedom fighter Faruk Ahmed and have remained fugitive. 

Police, on May 20, confiscated moveable assets of 10 fugitive accused, including Amanur, after a Tangail court ordered the confiscation. He is also facing an arrest order.

On May 16, Senior Judicial Magistrate in Tangail Golam Kibria ordered confiscation of assets of the fugitives as the accused did not appear before the court.

Faruk was shot dead on January 18, 2013. Police submitted the charge sheet against 14, including Amanur, on February 3 this year.

Sources at the Parliament Secretariat said Amanur last attended a sitting in June last year. His membership might have been cancelled if he had missed the ongoing budget session, the sources said.

According to the Jatiya Sangsad's rules of procedure, a lawmaker will lose membership if he remains absent from attending parliament sessions for 90 sittings at a stretch without permission of the Speaker.