Editorial
Two leaders' verbal clash
Let parliament be the forum for informed debate
IT has been a long time since the House has witnessed verbal exchanges between the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition. In fact it has been quite sometime that the Leader of the Opposition has attended a parliament session. Nevertheless, it was good to see the two engaged in a debate it augurs well for our parliamentary democracy. These are positive signs and which the members of the parliament must build up on.
However, one wishes that the content of the debate would have been more substantive and articulation more gracious, particularly the riposte from the prime minister in response to her opposite number's criticism of the bill under discussion. We all look up towards the parliament to set standards of impeccable behaviour, well argued debates, and well articulated response to criticisms of policies and plans of the government or the failures of the past or present administration.
As regards the said exchanges, one would wish the arguments contained more substance rather than facile asides that only helped to add rancour to the already rather torrid relationship between the ruling party and the opposition. Aspersions, or making a dig at the opponent, it must be remembered, detract from the quality of the argument and the dignity of the person making the comment, whether that is a backbencher or the leader of the opposition or the leader of the house.
We are also noticing frequent walkouts from parliament sittings by the opposition. While that is a right of the opposition, it must not be forgotten that frequent walkouts may cause it to lose its significance eventually. But walkout is better than boycott which the parliament and the people and democracy would be happy and better off without.
We would hope that the parliament's time would be put to optimal use for the nation. We expect that it would be used to debate important national issues in which criticisms must not be merely for the sake of it but help to point out mistakes and suggest better options to the government. As for the government, it must eschew the habit of dismissing out of hand anything coming from the opposition. The ruling party should have the sagacity to consider the merit of the suggestions from the other side of the floor and vice versa. Only then will parliamentary democracy flourish in Bangladesh in the true sense.
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