Bangladesh parliamentary panel wants ex-speaker expelled

Dhaka, July 6 (Inditop.com) An all-party probe committee of the Bangladesh parliament has recommended that former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar be stripped of his membership of the house for “financial irregularities”.

The committee said it had studied constitutional provisions and parliamentary practices followed in India, Britain and Canada before recommending action against Sircar and two senior lawmakers of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The house should enact a law, if need be, to expel Sircar and recover money from deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and BNP chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the committee said Monday.

Committee chairman Fazle Rabbi Mia said the report was “a milestone” and that it had arrived at its decision after examining documentary evidence and witnesses.

By means of its inherent power, the legislature can punish anyone for offences related to moral turpitude, provided there is no law in this regard, Mia was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.

The three held key positions in the 8th Jatiya Sangsad (the parliament) between 2001 and 2006.

Sircar is charged with continuing to draw allowances and attend international parliamentary meets during 2007-08, when there was no parliament in Bangladesh.

While Sircar, who lost the election last December returned to the house in a by-election, Hossain is the BNP secretary general.

Hossain termed the committee’s constitution, its proceedings and findings “extra-legal”, New Age newspaper said.

The three denied the charges and had boycotted the proceedings when summoned to appear before the committee and defend themselves.