DHAKA, Jan 31 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed the hope that the opposition BNP would return to Parliament for strengthening democracy and making Jatiya Sangsad more effective and lively.

"I hope that the opposition BNP would join the parliament session soon and speak for the people of their respective constituencies," she said when the Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat Ms Masire Mwamba paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Minister's Office here.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said during the meeting Sheikh Hasina told Ms Mwamba that her government is trying hard to bring the opposition back in the Jatiya Sangsad. During the meeting Sheikh Hasina referred the constitutional provision to the Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth saying that as per the Constitution, if any member of parliament continues to remain absent for 90 working days, his or her seat will fall vacant.

Considering the constitutional provision, the Prime Minister
hoped that the opposition BNP would return to parliament very
shortly as the abstention of opposition lawmakers from the house
is very close to 90 working days.

"The opposition members will return to Jatiya Sangsad for
keeping their membership. Not only that, I hope that they will
return to Parliament to make the House more vibrant and
effective," she added. Referring to the role of people in the
parliamentary democracy, she said it is only the people of the
country who can decide which party will run the government
through exercising their voting rights. Listing various steps
taken by her government to make democracy more effective in the
country, she said her government is working relentlessly aiming
at giving democracy an institutions shape.

In this context, she said her government has constituted all
parliamentary standing committees in the first session of the
current Parliament. Of the total 47 committees, chairmanship of
seven committees have been given to the opposition parties, she
added.

The Prime Minister said the last general election of the country was held in a free, fair and acceptable manner in the history of the country in which people have exercised their voting rights without fear and intimidation. hrs


Sheikh Hasina expressed their gratitude to the international
communities, development partners and specially the Commonwealth
for extending their cooperation in holding the election in a
free, fair and neutral manner.

The Prime Minister said the government that came to power "through rigged polls in 2001 put the country in a miserable condition. "Now, we are trying hard to pull out the country from that situation," she added.

During the meeting, Ms Mwamba informed the Prime Minister
that they wanted to hold a regional workshop June next in Dhaka
under the auspices of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on
'Constructive role of Opposition in the Parliament'.

Parliament members both from treasury and opposition benches
of the eighth countries of the South Asian Region would
participate in the workshop, she said and sought cooperation of
the Prime Minister to make the programme a success.

The objective of the workshop is to groom the lawmakers for
performing constructive role in their respective parliaments
aiming at giving democracy a firm footing.

The deputy secretary general of the Commonwealth Secretariat
greeted the Prime Minister for winning the prestigious Indira
Gandhi Peace and Disarmament Award for her contribution in
establishing regional and international peace.

Ambassador at-large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary to the
Prime Minister M A Karim, Secretary to the Prime Minister's
Office Mollah Waheeduzaman and Press Secretary to the Prime
Minister were present on the occasion.