Leader of the Opposition also AL President Sheikh Hasina and some other lawmakers on points of order requested the speaker to adjourn the parliament session and to visit AL lawmakers who were undergoing treatment in hospitals following severe police beatings during the opposition coalition's programme of laying siege to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) yesterday. They also demanded arrest and punishment of those who beat the lawmakers.

The AL lawmakers in the House gathered near the podium of the speaker while shouting at Deputy Speaker Akhter Hamid Siddique who was presiding over the session and attempted to start another proceeding without replying to the opposition lawmakers' demands.

At this time Sheikh Hasina took the floor and said, "Let's adjourn the parliament and go see the injured lawmakers." She also said those who are involved in the inhumane torture of the AL lawmakers should be punished following a thorough investigation. She said otherwise, the dignity of the parliament will be tarnished.

During the unscheduled debate on issues ranging from the declaration of independence, to the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975, proclamation of marshal law, killing of army officers during late president Ziaur Rahman's regime, law and order situation, rigging of votes in 2001 election, and price spiral of essentials -- the opposing lawmakers blasted each other without any restraint.

Sheikh Hanisa said during the debate, "I want to know whether you will adjourn the Sangsad and form an inquiry committee?" But the deputy speaker did not reply to her.

She also said," My statement is clear -- were those policemen who beat the lawmakers or were they BNP and Shibir cadres wearing police uniforms?"

She also alleged that the ruling party prepared a hit list of opposition leaders and killing them one after another to pave their way back to power again.

BNP lawmakers countered her allegations by saying that the culture of attack on lawmakers started during the rule of AL. They also alleged that during the AL government its cadres were found moving openly brandishing firearms.

In defence of the opposition's proposal for electoral reforms Hasina said the reform proposal is to protect the rights of the voters. She said the alliance government is opposing the reform proposal because it will not be able to rig the election if the reforms are carried out.

She also said the BNP-led government signed the agreement with Asia Energy when Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was the energy minister.

Soon after Sheikh Hasina's speech Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain took the floor adding fuel to the opposition lawmakers' ire.

Amid the chaos the health minister sat down and BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan took the floor prompting the AL lawmakers to walk out of the House at around 8:35pm led by their party chief.

After AL's walkout, the session continued for an hour when ruling party lawmakers delivered their speeches bashing AL. Soon after the AL walkout, Mannan Bhuiyan requested the speaker to allow his fellow party members to speak as long as the AL lawmakers were allowed to speak.

Before adjourning the house around 9:40pm, the deputy speaker told the house that the torture of two lawmakers is unfortunate, but such incidents also took place before.

He said there is no scope for forming an inquiry committee to investigate the incidents and the existing law is enough to hold trials regarding the incidents.

Earlier, criticising Sheikh Hasina's speech, LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said he would resign if the opposition could prove that Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal cadres carried out the attacks on AL lawmakers wearing police uniforms. He said if anyone breaks section 144, police have no choice but to go into action.

He urged the opposition to sit in a dialogue as no decision could be taken keeping BNP out of the loop.

Earlier after the magrib prayer, AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sen Gupta took the floor on a point of order and said the government is using the police to torture and harass opposition leaders right before its tenure ends.

He said yesterday's attack on AL lawmakers are planned and politically motivated. "From this day on this government has turned into the nastiest autocratic government in the history," he said.

After AL's walkout Law Minister Moudud Ahmed said everything AL did in the House including the walkout was planned.

In a press briefing after the walkout Sheikh Hasina said they staged the walkout from the House because the deputy speaker did not go to see the injured AL lawmakers and because he did not form an inquiry committee.

In reply to a question she said they will attend the House today.