TIB never intends to hurt JS

The Transparency International Bangladesh has never aimed to tarnish the dignity of the House, rather it helps boost people's confidence in parliament. 

"The only objective of the TIB-conducted research -- Parliament Watch -- is to play the role of a catalyst in enhancing the effectiveness of the honourable Jatiya Sangsad through making constructive contribution," said the anti-graft watchdog yesterday in a statement signed by Chairperson of its board of trustees Sultana Kamal.

The statement has come at a time when several ruling party lawmakers have been criticising it for releasing a report on October 25 on the functioning of parliament. 

According to the report, lawmakers' participation in question-answer sessions and discussions on important issues were less in the current parliament -- from second to sixth sessions between June 2014 and July this year.

It also concluded that the main opposition Jatiya Party failed to play its due role in the sessions.

In the statement, TIB said criticism and media reports following its report drew the attention of its board of trustees.

The Parliament Watch report is objective, fact-based and research-oriented, the TIB statement says, as believed by the TIB board.

The report was based on information collected from the parliament secretariat, direct examination of parliament and the live broadcasts of the sittings on state-run Bangladesh Television, it adds.

"The report reflected the reality."

However, if any part of the report or any comment of the TIB executive director hurt any honourable member of parliament, that is only because of misunderstandings, TIB said.

Meanwhile, several lawmakers of the treasury and opposition benches on Monday demanded that the Speaker summon TIB officials immediately to the House to question them over the "derogatory remarks" on parliament.

Suranjit Sengupta, chief of the parliamentary standing committee on law, the next day asked TIB to apologise for "humiliating" the House, constitution and the state, and said legal action would be taken otherwise.