A ruling Awami League lawmaker in parliament yesterday launched into a vile tirade against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her two sons.
It was the second time in around 20 days that an AL MP has used abusive words against the leader of the opposition in parliament.
Speaking on the thanksgiving motion on the president's address, Mahbub Ara Begum Gini, from Gaibandha-2, said, “Khaleda uses her husband Ziaur Rahman's name with hers for political gains, but she did not tag that [Zia's name] with her sons' names as she had doubts over their birth.”
On February 15, Fazilatunnesa Bappy, elected to one of the women's reserved seats in December last year, too used abusive language to blast Khaleda and her sons. It was her maiden speech in parliament.
As Bappy was saying unpleasant things about Khaleda's personal life, many treasury bench MPs were thumping their desks to applaud her. Deputy Speaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali was presiding over the sitting that day.
He was in charge of the House proceedings yesterday as well, and again he neither interrupted Mahbub Ara nor asked her to watch her language.
He rather gave her an additional two minutes when her allotted eight minutes were running out.
Oftentimes, MPs get additional time when they verbally attack the opposition.
Against this backdrop, Speaker Abdul Hamid on February 26 urged lawmakers to adhere to the code of conduct when addressing their opponents.
“Hurling abuse at others may at times be lauded by party colleagues, but it is not accepted by people,” he said at a book launch.