Parliament Erupts Over Remarks on Jamaat Women MPs’ Attire
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MP of Cumilla-6, Monirul Haque Chowdhury, came under criticism in Parliament after making remarks about the clothing and veiling of female members of Jamaat-e-Islami. His comments triggered uproar and a tense atmosphere in the House.
The incident took place on Sunday during the sixth working day of the 13th National Parliament’s first budget session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal.
While participating in the budget discussion, Monirul Haque Chowdhury criticized Jamaat-e-Islami and made comments regarding the attire and veiling of its female lawmakers. Opposition members immediately stood up from their seats and strongly protested his remarks. The protest quickly escalated into disorder, prompting the Deputy Speaker to repeatedly urge members to maintain calm.
To restore order, the Deputy Speaker at one stage ordered the expunging of the objectionable remarks from the parliamentary record. He also called on members to refrain from commenting on personal matters and personal freedoms, stressing the need to maintain dignity and decorum in Parliament.
“We are all elected representatives of the people. If we fail to maintain our decency and dignity, we will be ashamed before the people of the country. This House is not a place for personal attacks or comments on personal freedom,” the Deputy Speaker said.
Facing criticism, Monirul Haque Chowdhury expressed regret and said he would request that any part of his remarks that may have hurt anyone’s self-respect be removed from the official record.
At one point, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said that remarks about women MPs’ attire amount to interference in their personal and religious freedom. He described such comments as a reflection of ‘a backward mindset and discriminatory attitude.’
Later, Water Resources Minister attempted to speak on the issue but was interrupted by the Deputy Speaker. He said that once a remark has been expunged, there is no scope for further debate or explanation on it.
The Chief Whip then requested that Monirul Haque Chowdhury be allowed to clarify his position. In response, the Deputy Speaker said he would be given the opportunity to speak at an appropriate time if necessary. He then urged Member of parliements to move past the dispute and return to the main budget discussion.