Bangladesh MPs end boycott

Sheikh Hasina says she'll stand up for people's rights

The main opposition Awami League in Bangladesh has attended its first parliamentary session since being routed in general elections last year.

Law and order is now at its worst in Bangladesh's history and people are suffocating under autocratic rule

Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina

All 58 of the party's MPs returned to the chamber led by the opposition leader, Sheikh Hasina, who said she wanted to protect people's rights and protest against government misrule.

Two hours later, however, the Awami League staged a temporary walkout, apparently angry at not being allowed to discuss law and order.

"There is no reason for us to stay here if you turn down our request for the debate," Sheikh Hasina said, before adding that they would continue to take part in proceedings.

Her party, which has been boycotting the house since October alleging last year's vote was rigged, says there are numerous issues which require urgent debate.

It is a matter of happiness that the opposition will join parliament

KD Hossain,
BNP chief whip

Prominent among these is the promotion of the prime minister's son to a senior position within the governing party and the decision taken last week to force the Bangladeshi president into early retirement.

The BBC's Alistair Lawson in Dhaka says debate over the next few days could be acrimonious because the government and opposition are often bitterly divided.

He says opposition boycotts of the chamber have been so commonplace in recent years, that this is one of the few occasions both major parties have attended.

'Nepotism'

The opposition fear Bangladesh is entering a prolonged era of dynastic rule.

They are concerned at what they believe is a brazen attempt by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to groom her son for leadership of the country.

Tarique Rahman was appointed joint secretary-general on Saturday of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main constituent in the country's four-party governing coalition.

Dr Chowdhury went protesting his innocence

The opposition says the promotion makes Mr Rahman one of the most influential figures within the BNP and that it amounts to gross nepotism.

The Awami League says it is also concerned by the recent resignation of Bangladeshi President Badruddoza Chowdhury.

They argue that he was forced out because he refused to be partisan in favour of the government.

The party says another reason for returning to parliament is because it wants to take part in an important debate on the budget, which it says discriminates against the poor.

Rare full house

The government, meanwhile, has welcomed the Awami League's decision to come back to the house, while emphatically rejecting many of their arguments.

Officials say Mr Rahman was promoted solely on the basis of his ability.

They insist that President Chowdhury departed because he had committed a serious breach of protocol by failing to pay sufficient respect to the prime minister's husband, General Ziaur Rahman, on the anniversary of his assassination.