Row erupts in Parliament over Gazi Nazrul's committee inclusion

A row erupted in Parliament on Monday over the inclusion of Gazi Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker from Satkhira-4 who was expelled from the party, in a parliamentary standing committee, with his name eventually dropped following objections from the opposition.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni moved a proposal to form the Committee on Government Assurances, naming AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, MP for Noakhali-1, as its chairman.

The 10-member committee also included opposition lawmakers Mahbubul Alam and Nurun Nesa Siddiqua, alongside Gazi Nazrul Islam. The proposal was passed by voice vote.

Soon afterwards, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman sought clarification on whether Gazi Nazrul was included under the opposition's quota.

The chief whip clarified that he was not placed on the committee as an opposition member, but as one of 349 sitting MPs who each need to be accommodated in at least one committee, noting that no other committee has room for him.

Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal noted that the question has arisen because Gazi Nazrul was earlier removed from other standing committees at the opposition's request, only to be included again here.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed intervened, saying there was no confusion as Gazi Nazrul's parliamentary membership has not lapsed; he had to be placed in some committee, and his name has not featured on the opposition's list for ministry-related standing committees.

He explained that under the Constitution, expulsion from a party does not automatically vacate a lawmaker's seat unless he resigns, which will bring Article 70 into play.

Salahuddin suggested that if the opposition wished to see the seat vacated, they could draw attention to his absence in the presidential election and formally approach the Speaker or the Election Commission.

In response, the opposition leader remarked wryly that the home minister's "tips" always made proceedings lively, before arguing that, having expelled Gazi Nazrul on moral grounds, it would be better not to place him on any committee at all, though the matter could still be revisited during future reconstitution.

Salahuddin subsequently observed that the opposition appeared to want Gazi Nazrul's parliamentary membership retained but did not want him on the committee, and suggested he could be dropped to honour the opposition leader's request.

The committee was later reconstituted with Gazi Nazrul Islam's name removed.