Speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed has reminded parliamentarians that reading prepared speeches in the national parliament is not permitted, urging members to develop the habit of speaking without relying on written texts.
The Speaker made the remarks on Sunday, addressing Jamaat lawmaker Masud bin Saidi and Islami Andolon MP Oli Ullah after both delivered their entire speeches during the discussion on the President's address by reading from papers.
"I am drawing your attention with humility. Reading from a script is not allowed in parliament. You may keep notes, but you should glance at them and then address the house. This is the tradition of parliament," the Speaker told Masud bin Saidi. He gave a similar instruction to Oli Ullah, saying, "You too read your speech like the previous speaker. This is not allowed. Develop the habit of speaking without reading. Everyone should follow this convention." Under the Rules of Procedure, members must obtain the Speaker's prior permission before reading a written statement.
During his speech, Masud bin Saidi, elected from Pirojpur-1, pledged to uphold the trust placed in him by his constituents and vowed to carry forward the ideals of his father, Allama Delwar Hossain Saidi. He paid tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement, the Liberation War, and the July-August 2024 uprising, including Abu Sayed and Mugdho.
The Jamaat lawmaker said BNP's refusal to take the Constitutional Reform Council oath has created public confusion. "People are questioning whether BNP believes in the July Charter, whether it respects the aspirations of the mass uprising, and whether it will reform the constitution to build a new Bangladesh. We hope they will respect the people's verdict and take the oath," he said.
Responding to Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed's earlier remark that July is not about emotion and that a state cannot run on emotion, Saidi said, "It is true that July is not just emotion. But July is both emotion and reality. There is no scope to diminish July by dismissing it as mere emotion."
He called for zero tolerance on corruption, citing a Transparency International Bangladesh report that estimated up to 520 billion taka was plundered from the Roads and Highways Department alone over the past 15 years. He also urged institutionalizing the practice of refusing government perks and duty-free vehicles.
He criticized the Home Minister's characterization of the July Charter Implementation Order as neither law nor ordinance, pointing out that Article 152 of the constitution defines all ordinances as law. "That remark was not responsible. I hope he will be more responsible in the future," Saidi said.
He also noted that the opposition leader had proposed 50 hours of discussion time to allow all members to speak, but even this request was undermined.
