Play due role in strengthening democracy
PM urges heads of JS bodies
UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday urged the chairmen of the parliamentary standing committees to play their due role in strengthening parliamentary democracy in the country. Expressing her satisfaction over performance of the standing committees, the prime minister emphasised maintaining transparency and accountability in activities of all ministries. She called upon the parliamentarians to utilise the opportunities provided by the people through their mandate for overall progress of the country and emancipation of the people. Khaleda, also the Leader of the House, was talking to chairmen of five parliamentary standing committees when they called on her at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to apprise her of their committee activities. They are Hajee Mozammel Hossain, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on fisheries and livestock ministry, Sahidul Islam, chairman of the standing committee on power and energy ministry, Nurul Islam Moni, chairman of the standing committee on science and ICT ministry, MA Matin, chairman of the standing committee on water resources ministry and Musharraf Hossain, chairman of the standing committee on Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs ministry. The committee chairmen expressed their gratitude to the prime minister for creating an atmosphere where the standing committees were working independently as per the rules of procedure. Prime Minister's Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury, who was present at the meeting, later told reporters that the meeting was part of a routine programme of interaction between the Leader of the House and the standing committee chairmen. Fifteen other chairmen of the standing committees earlier met the prime minister in three phases and the remaining 35 will meet her gradually, Chowdhury added. The prime minister hoped that the parliamentary standing committees would work effectively to fulfil the aspirations of the common people and ensure overall development of the country. The Leader of the House asked the chairmen to play a more dynamic role and create an atmosphere for proper and timely use of the allocations made in the new national budget against the ministries. During the meeting, the standing committee chairmen said the progress of activities of different ministries were satisfactory and positive.
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