Opposition walks out of Parliament over Referendum issue

Opposition lawmakers, led by Opposition Leader and Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, staged a walkout from the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday evening, protesting what they described as the government’s failure to provide a clear decision on a key referendum-related proposal.

The walkout took place at around 5:45pm following a heated exchange between the opposition, treasury bench members, and the Speaker over a motion related to referendum reforms and the formation of a reform council.

Speaking before the walkout, Shafiqur Rahman said his speech may not have been properly understood by Law Minister Asaduzzaman, though he did not believe it was intentional. He clarified that the main notice raised by the opposition was centered on referendum reform and the convening of the proposed reform council.

Referring to a proposal made earlier by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, the opposition leader said he had responded positively to the idea of forming a special committee, provided it included equal representation from both the ruling and opposition parties.

“If such a committee is formed centring this issue, we will consider it positively. Equal participation from both sides would make it meaningful,” he said.

He said that the opposition entered parliament to resolve crises, not to create them. However, expressing frustration, he added that despite raising an issue reflecting the will of nearly 70% of the people, no clear decision had been communicated.

“We expected a remedy through you (the Speaker), but I could not understand whether any decision was reached. This is a matter of public expectation,” he said, directly addressing the chair.

In response, the Speaker said that the motion in question was an adjournment motion, which had been accepted in his absence under the chairmanship of the Deputy Speaker. He highlighted that in Bangladesh’s 53-year parliamentary history, such motions have been accepted only three times, underscoring its rarity.

The Speaker further explained that issues requiring legislative action cannot typically be resolved through adjournment motions. However, he said the motion was accepted to allow a lively discussion and to give the opposition an opportunity to speak.

He also informed the House that another notice on a similar issue would be considered later, assuring opposition members they would have further opportunity to express their views. “This is a national issue. Both treasury and opposition benches should engage in open discussion and reach a decision within parliamentary rules,” he said.