This happened for the first time in the eighth parliament, which was convened on October 28, 2001.

Only three independent lawmakers attended parliament proceedings in the last two days.

As the House had no major business to conduct in the last two working days, a large number of lawmakers including some senior ministers were seen gossiping or whiling away their time reading newspapers at the Jatiya Sangsad.

The Rules of Procedure (RP) do not permit such behaviour of lawmakers while the House is in session.

According to the RP, a member shall not interrupt any member while he is speaking by disorderly expression or noise or in any other disorderly manner, shall not read any book, newspaper or letter except in connection with the business of the House, shall maintain silence when not speaking in the House.

The lawmakers do not observe most of the rules. But the speaker does not give any ruling to make the lawmakers conform to the rules.

The water resources minister yesterday was interrupted while he was replying to lawmakers' queries because of excessive noise created by the lawmakers. He urged the speaker to reintroduce headphones in the House.

The 8th parliament began its journey amid the absence of the main opposition Awami League. But the other three opposition parties -- Jatiya Party led by Ershad , Jatiya Party led by Monju and Krishak Sramik Janata League led by Kader Siddiqui -- attended the session. Awami League rejoined parliament proceedings on June 24 last year and again began boycotting the session since June 26 this year.

Following the footsteps of the main opposition Awami League, the Jatiya Party led by Ershad started to boycott parliament proceedings since last Monday. On Monday and yesterday the two other opposition parties also remained absent in the House.