Opposition walks out of parliament over constitutional reform dispute

Members of the opposition walked out of the National Parliament on Wednesday, April 1, following a disagreement over the issue of convening the Constitutional Reform Council session.

It was reported that despite lengthy discussions on forming the Constitutional Reform Council and convening its session, no consensus could be reached. Expressing dissatisfaction, opposition members led by Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman walked out of the session.

Speaking during the discussion, Dr Shafiqur Rahman said they had expected a clear decision on crucial matters such as the referendum and constitutional reform.

He proposed that forming a special committee with equal representation from the government and opposition would be effective in resolving the crisis. He expressed frustration over the lack of clear guidance on this matter.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed urged the opposition to remain in the house, stating that the matter was still under discussion and could be further debated through subsequent proposals. He called on them not to walk out.

However, opposition members left the parliament in protest before the speaker could finish his remarks.

In the absence of opposition members, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the tabled adjournment motion was procedurally incorrect. According to parliamentary rules, matters that can be resolved through legislation cannot be brought under an adjournment motion, and there is no scope for voting on such matters.