Notice by JS: Only 4 out of 47 MPs vacate NAM flats

Only four out of 47 lawmakers including a minister have responded to a notice issued by the Jatiya Sangsad secretariat to the lawmakers to vacate their NAM flats as they are not staying there, a parliamentary committee said yesterday.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the MPs, the House Committee of the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday at a meeting decided to cancel allotment of all 47 MPs as they are not residing at their respective flats on Manik Mia Avenue.

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 15 asked the lawmakers to remain careful about the use of NAM flats and warned that the allocation of flats would be cancelled if MPs do not reside there.

"The name of those MPs, who have taken allocations but aren't staying in their NAM flats, would be deleted ... Instead of residing in the flats themselves, they would keep personal staff, drivers or domestic help in the flats -- it isn't right," she said.

Following the warning from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 15, the JS committee issued the notice on April 23, sources at the parliament secretariat said.

Chief Whip ASM Feroz, who is also chief of the House Committee of Jatiya Sangsad, told reporters after the meeting that that only four have so far responded to the notice served by the parliament secretariat.

“In the meeting we have called upon all the relevant MPs to vacate their flats in line with the prime minister's directive,” he added.

The meeting recommended taking additional security measures at Parliament Members residences on Manik Mia Avenue and Nakhalpara. The meeting asked authorities concerned that no unwanted person can enter or reside at these residences.

Opposition Chief Whip Tajul Islam Chowdhury, committee members Abdus Shahid, Nur-e-Alam Chowdhury, Whip Mahbub Ara Gini, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Aslamul Haque and Talukder Md Younus also attended the meeting yesterday.