Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmakers on Saturday expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order across the country, particularly the recent rise in incidents of rape and murder, during a parliamentary party meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad.
The meeting was chaired by prime minister Tarique Rahman, where lawmakers said that the government had been facing growing criticism over the worsening security situation and increasing violent crimes.
Several BNP lawmakers also demanded the transfer of judges appointed during the previous Awami League government in a number of districts.
During the discussion, law minister Asaduzzaman clarified that the ministry had no authority to transfer any judge, rather it could provide a list of judges, who might be transferred, to the Supreme Court.
Participants in the meeting also voiced concern over the misuse of social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, for spreading false information, character assassination, and conducting media trials.
A senior parliamentarian told New Age that seven ministries presented progress reports and outlined future plans during the meeting, which also reviewed administrative challenges and overall government performances.
Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the meeting stressed that law enforcement and punishment must be applied impartially, regardless of political affiliation of the offenders.
According to lawmakers present, the minister said that there would be no hesitation in taking action even if offenders belonged to the ruling party.
Discussions were also held on the growing difficulty of controlling narcotics under existing laws, prompting proposals for legal amendments.
The Local Government Division discussed plans to establish at least a 50-bed hospital at every upazila.
Lawmakers also talked about administrative difficulties in constituencies spanning multiple upazilas or where several constituencies existed within a single upazila.
According to lawmakers, the prime minister instructed the legislators to remain accessible to the public by using their upazila offices to listen to their grievances directly from citizens.
Regarding opposition political programmes, one lawmaker said that they had no intention to take a confrontational approach and that political activities would be addressed politically, allowing the public to decide.
The prime minister additionally gave directions concerning the forthcoming national budget, although details of the instructions were not fully disclosed by participants.
Following the meeting, chief whip Nurul Islam Moni briefed reporters at the Jatiya Sangsad Legislative Dining Hall (LD Hall), saying that the discussions focused on the challenges and initiatives undertaken by ministries over the past one month and 20 days.
He said that the education ministry was working to revise the existing curriculum to make it more practical and skill-oriented.
Proposed measures include introducing tablets for teachers, implementing ‘happy learning’ methods, and standardising mid-day meals in schools, and introducing strict action against those supplying poor-quality food.
On healthcare, he said that the government was updating hospital equipment and ensuring the supply of medicines.
Nurul Islan said that the prime minister directed immediate measures to tackle dengue, particularly in Barisal region.
He also said that Bangladesh had reached an agreement with China to build five 1,000-bed hospitals, with at least one or two dedicated to women and children.
On water management, participants reviewed progress on the Teesta Barrage project, which was expected to improve irrigation, reduce drought-related problems, and contribute to hydroelectric power generation, Nurul Islam said.
The chief whip said that the government had adjusted electricity prices due to rising import costs of machinery, coal, LNG, and fuel oil following depreciation of the taka against the US dollar.
According to Nurul Islam, the BNP parliamentary party meeting placed strong emphasis on ensuring the rule of law and creating deterrence through speedy justice.
He said that significant progress had been made in the Ramesh murder case and that a verdict was expected on Sunday, within a month of the incident.
The home minister reiterated a zero-tolerance policy against extortion, drugs, and organised crime, saying that action would be taken against offenders irrespective of political identity.
Efforts to curb illegal gambling and other criminal activities were also discussed.
The chief whip said that the government was considering ways to regulate social media platforms more effectively while balancing freedom of expression.
He said that the government would seek cooperation from the public and international organisations on the issue.
The meeting also reviewed preparations for the budget session beginning on June 7, with the national budget scheduled to be placed on June 11.
The chief whip said that the prime minister also instructed the lawmakers to closely monitor the implementation of government programmes in their constituencies, particularly in schools and hospitals, to ensure that teachers, doctors, and staff members carried out their duties properly.
