Dhaka, Nov 16: The tenth session of Bangladesh Parliament began today with the lawmakers from the main opposition Awami League boycotting the proceedings. The party is boycotting Parliament since June protesting "offensive remarks" by a minister against its leader Sheikh Hasina on the floor of the house. They demand an apology from the minister as a precondition to attend Parliament.
Awami League leaders alleged that the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the speaker had failed to create a conducive atmosphere for the opposition to participate in the proceedings. BNP Secretary-General and local government minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, while asking Awami League to join the house, charged that the opposition was not interested in attending Parliament and preconditions were ploys to stay away.
The current session will last for four days and will not be attended by Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia who is in Saudi Arabia and scheduled to return on November 23.
Bureau Report