A heated confrontation between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers disrupted proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday after remarks by Kishoreganj-4 MP and Freedom Fighter Fazlur Rahman sparked strong protests from opposition members.
The incident occurred during the thanksgiving motion on the President’s speech in the Jatiya Sangsad, leading to repeated interruptions and temporary disorder in the House.
Fazlur Rahman said that individuals from families of freedom fighters should not engage in Jamaat-e-Islami politics, describing such involvement as a “double offence.” His comments immediately triggered objections from Jamaat lawmakers, who stood up in protest, creating an uproar that lasted several minutes.
He also referred to the 1971 Liberation War, mentioning that collaborators of the Pakistani forces would never succeed in the country and recalling the killing of intellectuals on 14 December 1971. He further linked wartime events to groups involved in Al-Badr activities.
As tensions escalated, members of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami protested loudly, while treasury bench members also rose from their seats, further intensifying the disruption. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad repeatedly called for order and urged lawmakers to maintain discipline.
Despite appeals, shouting continued for more than 10 minutes. The Speaker expressed frustration, reminding members that Parliament is a forum for debate, not disruption, and warned that such conduct could damage public confidence in the institution.
During the commotion, Fazlur Rahman also made remarks linking historical events of 1971 with the killing of police personnel and incidents following the August 2024 uprising, calling for investigations and trials over recent violence and attacks on police stations.
Later, Opposition Leader and Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman responded strongly, saying Fazlur Rahman’s comments had questioned his identity and political stance. He condemned the remarks and demanded they be removed from parliamentary records.
He also defended his personal and family background, stating that no one had the right to undermine his Liberation War-related identity or ideological position.
As order was gradually restored, the Speaker ruled that Fazlur Rahman would not be given further time to speak and urged members to conclude the heated exchange.
He added that any unparliamentary remarks made during the session would be expunged from the official record.
