Govt sees AL stance a trick to skip JS

In an instant reaction to the AL's precondition for joining parliament, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed told newsmen last night that they would still request the speaker to talk to the AL on their return to parliament.

Moudud said, "It's a pre-planned political decision of the AL. The AL lawmakers don't want to come to the House. They don't want to make it effective."

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina demanded apologies from the prime minister and the speaker for their recent remarks as the precondition for returning to the House.

During her Saturday's visit to Faridpur in connection with Bangladesh Jatiya Party leader Shah Mohammad Abu Jafar's joining the BNP, the BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia introduced Jafar to the people of the constituency as their 'undeclared lawmaker', which Hasina dubbed as "a complete negation of the people's elected representative Kazi Sirajul Islam". Islam is the AL lawmaker from Faridpur-1 constituency.

The same day, during a meeting with Opposition Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, the speaker noted that despite the absence of the opposition lawmakers, parliament was functioning effectively.