Parliament Watch: TIB gives clarification

The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) sent a clarification regarding its study report on parliament published in The Daily Star yesterday headlined "Only 24 hrs spent on lawmaking in 2017".

The corruption watchdog said it sent the clarification to avoid misunderstanding on the content of the report and discussions held during the question and answer session while releasing the study, titled "Parliament Watch: 10th Jatiya Sangsad [14th to 18th session] 2017”, at a press conference at its office in the capital on Thursday.

In reply to a question on the role of the main opposition party at the press conference, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said he still stands by TIB's earlier comment that the party has all along faced a crisis of identity and a lack of clarity about its role in parliament as it is both a ruling and an opposition party, according to the clarification.    

The only difference this time is that it has now been vindicated by the party itself, whose leaders are quoted to have said, “people do not consider us to be an opposition party, why would they, we can't speak up; or we are neither an opposition party, nor a ruling party … the country cannot go on like this,” it said.

In response to another query regarding the role of the president of the main opposition party as the prime minister's special envoy, Iftekharuzzaman said there is no official document prescribing his role and responsibilities or terms of reference as the special envoy, the clarification mentioned.

“A gazette notification was indeed issued confirming his appointment as the special envoy with the status of a minister. But neither this gazette nor any other official order exists to provide the specific details of his functions or duties in this coveted position," it added.