Those launched tirade against Prof Sayeed should apologise: TIB chief

Voicing concern over the way MPs bashed noted litterateur Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed in Parliament, Chairperson of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Adv Sultana Kamal on Tuesday said the elected representatives are not above criticism.

“Where does the constitution in its text say that the elected representatives are above criticism …there’s nothing like that in the constitution,” Sultana Kamal told reporters at a press briefing at BMA Auditorium.

Referring to the MPs’ harsh criticism of Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed in Parliament on Sunday for his reported remarks against ministers and MPs, Sultana Kamal, also a former caretaker government adviser, said, “The way you (MPs) spoke in the House was embarrassing for us. “Those launched the fierce diatribe against Prof Abu Sayeed should apologise.”

The MPS claimed that Prof Abu Sayeed at a TIB function termed the MPs and ministers ‘thieves and robbers'.

Sultana Kamal demanded that the harsh remarks made by the MPs in Parliament be expunged.

She hoped that the remarks of public representatives will be more objective, descent and respectable as people’s hopes and expectations from them are diminishing day by day.

Sultana Kamal also urged the media to be more responsible in their duties as their reporting has raised the dust in the House.

TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman and its Trustee Board member Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed were present at the briefing. Dr Iftekharuzzaman read out a written statement at the briefing.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdullah Abu Sayeed said, “There’s no conformity between the remarks I made at the function and the report published in a section of newspapers.”

Prof Sayeed said he would not blame the MPs for their tirade against him because what they did they did seeing the newspaper reports. “No one of them (MPs) was aware of the facts.”

He appreciated Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali for his Monday’s remarks against the MPs. “I’m grateful to him for his prudent and logical statements.”

Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali on Monday slammed the Mps for censuring Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed in parliament for his reported remarks against ministers and MPs.

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