National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah has said that his comments regarding car facilities for Members of Parliament (MPs) were “misrepresented” in sections of the media, prompting him to clarify his position in the Parliament on Wednesday.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament, he said he had not demanded any duty-free vehicles for MPs, as has been suggested in some reports. Instead, he explained that his remarks were limited to a proposal for providing official vehicles to lawmakers for use during their tenure, similar to the system already in place for upazila chairmen and government officials.
Hasnat Abdullah stressed that MPs have collectively decided not to accept duty-free cars or plots, and that his statement should not be interpreted otherwise.
He said his intention was to highlight practical difficulties faced by lawmakers, particularly in carrying out official duties without allocated vehicles.
“At present, MPs receive Tk70,000 for vehicle maintenance, but many of us do not actually have cars. My remarks were misreported. I only suggested that the government consider providing official vehicles for parliamentary work, which would be returned after the end of tenure,” he said in Parliament.
He further reiterated that the decision to forgo duty-free cars and government plots was a unified commitment taken by both ruling and opposition members following the formation of the 13th National Parliament.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad also addressed the matter during the session, noting that the issue had already been clarified.
He added that, in his view, the public had welcomed the MPs’ decision to refrain from taking duty-free vehicles and plots, seeing it as a positive step towards accountability and restraint.
The clarification helped settle the debate in the House after reports of the remarks had circulated widely in the media.
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