DACCA: The Central Law Minister, Mr S.M. Zafar, expressed the view today [Dec 11] that the position of the speaker was in no way impaired by the mere fact that a motion of no-confidence had been tabled against him by a Member.

Talking to newsmen in his office room in the National Assembly here today, the Law Minister indicated that the current session was likely to conclude well before the no-confidence motion can come before the House. Replying to questions he said they had exhausted almost the entire agenda except the Constitution Second Amendment Bill and the State Bank Amendment Bill and with the present business the House could last till Dec 15 at the most.

To a Question whether an early conclusion of the session would not amount to running away from the no-confidence motion, the Law Minister’s reply was an emphatic “no”.

He said the Government could not play upon the exchequer of the country by running the session without business just for the sake of a no-confidence motion. If the Opposition so wanted they could table a no-confidence motion earlier during the session, he said, adding that they were free to table a motion in the next Budget session.

He also was of the view that there would not be any necessity for holding another session in February in view of the disposal of almost the entire business fixed for the current session.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Nurul Amin, addressing a separate Press conference in his room in the Assembly gave the view that if the House was prorogued before the no-confidence came up before the House, it would amount to a defeat for the Government Party.

Earlier in the day, Opposition Member Mukh­lesuzzaman Khan, in a letter to the Secretary of the Assembly, gave notice of his intention to move a no-confidence motion for the removal of the Speaker, Mr Abdul Jabbar Khan.

In his letter, a copy of which was handed over to the Press by the Opposition circles, Mr Mukhlesuzzaman brought a 10-point charge against the Speaker relating to the incident of Dec 1 which ultimately led to the removal of three Members from the House. — Correspondent

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2017