Parliament was thrown into an unscheduled debate on Thursday after independent MP Rumeen Farhana described the House as a "parliament of loan defaulters" during her budget speech, drawing immediate objections from the ruling party and a firm defence from the opposition.

“Standing in this parliament of loan defaulters, I must say that Bangladesh’s total non-performing loans amount to Tk 6.44 lakh crore. Adding rescheduled, written off and court pending loans, the figure rises to Tk 11 lakh crore -- 59.73 percent of total loans. In such a situation, banks cannot provide much support to the government,” she said.

Minutes later, BNP MP AKM Fazlul Haque Milon rose on a point of order, calling parliament “a unique institution formed through sacrifice and struggle in a free and fair election, respected at home and abroad.”

“How did the phrase ‘loan defaulters in this parliament’ come about? Loan defaulters cannot contest elections. So how can this parliament be called a 'parliament of defaulters'? I request that this be expunged.”

Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal said the matter would be reviewed and expunged if necessary.

“We spoke against loan defaulters even before the election. If a party nominates defaulters and brings them into parliament, that is their responsibility,” Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said.

“If we cannot call out loan defaulters in this sovereign parliament, then where else? Such words should not be considered expungable,” he added.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed clarified: “No one here is a loan defaulter. Under the Representation of the People Order and other laws, anyone legally declared a defaulter by a court is disqualified from elections. They may be indebted, but not defaulters.”