Speaker rejects 50 BNP notices...............

The speaker rejected Monday all 50 notices opposition BNP MPs submitted in the parliament for discussion on issues of public importance adjourning the regular business of the House.

"The ministries concerned will take appropriate measures to address some of the matters while redress to other issues are possible within the existing laws," Abdul Hamid said in explanation for cancelling the notices.

He also said some notices "lacked evidence" and seemed to be "based on assumption".

Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, A M Mahbub Uddin Khokon, A N M Shamsul Islam, K M Hafizur Rahman, Harunur Rashid and Golam Mostofa submitted the notices.

The opposition lawmakers, however, have been staying away from parliament since Jan. 2008.

The speaker on Feb. 2 disposed of 21 adjournment notices for similar causes.

The BNP said the regular businesses of the House should be adjourned as the country was facing many serious problems.

Five lakh school dropouts, withdrawal of SSF protection for BNP chief Khaleda Zia, slide in the remittance inflow, reported intrusion of Indian ships into Bangladesh waters, deterioration of the law and order, post-election violence, extortion, textbook crisis, the government's alleged move to sign TIFA and transit agreements, trade imbalance with India and traffic congestion were some of the issues the opposition MPs chose for the adjournment motions.

In parliamentary practices, adjournment discussion is considered as censure for the treasury bench, according to Khondoker Abdul Haq who has authored a book on parliamentary practices.

The previous BNP-led government did not allow a single adjournment motion in the previous eighth parliament though attempts were made on the life of then the leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina at a rally that killed 24 people in the Aug. 21, 2004 grenade attack.

The Awami League MPs submitted thousands of adjournment notices, but the then speaker Jamiruddin Sircar turned all down.