Tarique said the government would seriously consider any recommendations made by the committee and would take effective steps to implement them if they were found to be feasible.

Highlights:

Energy minister to head the committee

Opposition to submit five names soon

Govt to consider and implement feasible recommendations

Both sides welcome bipartisan cooperation

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today (23 April) proposed in parliament the formation of a 10-member joint committee, seeking five names from the opposition to work together on finding “rational solutions” to the country’s ongoing energy crisis in the national interest.

The proposed body will be headed by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and will include five members each from the treasury and opposition benches.

“We have decided to form a five-member committee from our side. I request the leader of the opposition to provide five names so that the 10-member committee can sit together and discuss the issues,” the prime minister told the House.

He said the government would seriously consider any recommendations made by the committee and would take effective steps to implement them if they were found to be feasible.

Referring to a proposal raised by Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman a day earlier, the prime minister said both sides had agreed to work together to address the country’s ongoing situation.

Describing it as a global problem, he said the issue is affecting many countries.

Tarique said the opposition leader had expressed concern about this in his speech on Wednesday (22 April) and had proposed that both sides work together on the issue.

“I said in my speech that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is always ready to hold any discussion with anyone in the interest of the country and its people,” he said.

From the government side, the proposed members include Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, State Minister Aninda Islam Amit, and MPs ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan (Lakshmipur-4), Moinul Islam Khan (Manikganj-2), and Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu (Shariatpur-3).

In response, Shafiqur welcomed the initiative, thanking the prime minister for taking the matter positively.

He said they would submit their nominated names soon.

“We hope parliament will become the centre for resolving national issues. This is a new beginning for this House,” he said, adding that the opposition would soon submit its five names.

As Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed asked the prime minister who would chair the proposed 10-member committee, Tarique proposed the name of the energy minister.

The speaker expressed hope that the opposition would provide the names quickly, noting that the current parliamentary session is set to go into recess by the end of the month.

Hafiz Uddin said the move has created optimism among people, adding that cooperation between the government and opposition could help resolve national challenges effectively.