'This is not Shahbagh Square, this is parliament': Speaker to Hasnat Abdullah

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told an agitated Hasnat Abdullah in parliament, "This level of intolerance will not do, Mr Abdullah. This is not Shahbagh Square, this is parliament. You must wait patiently and listen. Oral remarks have very limited scope. Give notice, it will be adjudicated on the notices."

The Speaker made these remarks on Friday, April 10, during the 13th sitting of the first session of the 13th National Parliament, addressing Hasnat Abdullah from the Cumilla-4 constituency.

The ruling came during discussions on opposition objections after the passage of the 'July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum Bill, 2026'.

The Speaker said, "Honourable Leader of the Opposition, let me say something. Then you can speak if necessary. Ninety bills have been passed with one remaining. The cooperation between the ruling party and opposition in passing these bills is rare in parliamentary history. I have seen six previous parliaments. Such a cooperative environment did not exist before."

He added, "The law minister's statement, which you object to, can be reconsidered. If needed, you can bring an amendment bill in the next session after discussions among yourselves. The ruling party will certainly consider it. Let us maintain the parliamentary environment."

"The parliament was elected after a fair election following a massive July uprising. A large opposition of 77-78 members is a big thing in a parliament. We want to move forward with this spirit of cooperation."

"The law minister has already said your objections will be considered. An amendment can be brought to the bill if necessary. This parliament is elected for five years. Let us bear with all these differences. The beauty of democracy is diversity of opinion. As Speaker, I assure you I will do my best to ensure the opposition gets its due."