Speaker urges MPs to use notes instead of reading direclty from paper

Speaker Major (Retr.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Bir Bikram) urged lawmakers not to read entire speeches from written scripts in parliament, saying the established practice is to deliver remarks using notes rather than reading directly from papers.

He made the remarks during a discussion on the president’s address in the Jatiya Sangsad on Sunday (March 15), addressing MPs Masood Sayeedi of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Oli Ullah of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, who were reading their speeches from prepared texts.

The speaker reminded them that reading a full written statement requires prior permission under parliamentary rules and advised lawmakers to speak while occasionally referring to notes and addressing the House.

Earlier, Pirojpur-1 MP Masood Bin Sayeedi said he would carry out the responsibilities entrusted to him by voters with the utmost commitment despite challenges. He also pledged to follow the ideals of his father, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, and work for development in his constituency and justice in the country.

During his speech, he paid tribute to those killed in the Language Movement, the Bangladesh Liberation War, and the July–August 2024 mass uprising.

Sayeedi emphasised the importance of independence of the education and judiciary sectors and called for a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. He also cited a report by Transparency International Bangladesh alleging large-scale irregularities in the roads and highways sector over the past 15 years.

He further called for ending the culture of excessive state privileges and duty-free vehicles for officials.

The MP also said confusion had emerged among the public regarding the Bangladesh Nationalist Party after the constitutional reform council failed to take oath, raising questions about the party’s stance on the July uprising and constitutional reform.

Sayeedi also criticised remarks by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who had earlier said “July is not emotion and a state cannot run on emotion.” Sayeedi argued that the July movement was not only emotional but also a political reality that should not be downplayed.

Referring to another comment by the minister that the July declaration was “neither law nor ordinance,” Sayeedi said Article 152 of the constitution recognises ordinances as law, adding that such remarks should be made with greater caution.