Held hostage by bureaucracy, bemoans ruling party MP

Nazim Uddin Ahmed, an Awami League MP from Mymensingh-3, on Monday came down heavily on bureaucrats saying that people have become hostage to bureaucracy.

He also called upon all the MPs to raise their voice against the bureaucrats.

Nazim Uddin made the remarks while participating in a discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech in Parliament.

"We've long been suffering from bureaucratic problems. The way bureaucrats speak, it seems MPs don't have any value to them. We hardly get any respect when we visit them as members of parliament," he said.

Nazim said many development projects, including construction of a hospital, many schools and college buildings, roads and mosques taken in his constituency have stalled halfway.

He said all the development works are on the way to closure one after another. Contractors allege that they are not getting their bills and without money they cannot carry out project works.

"If this is the case, we won't be able to answer to people during polls as only two years are left for the next general election," he told the House.

Referring to the construction of a model mosque in his area, Nazim said the site for it was selected three years ago. Despite receiving a verdict from the Supreme Court, construction of the mosque has not started yet due to bureaucratic complications, he bemoaned.

"When I asked about it, the project director says one thing, the deputy commissioner says another, and the Islamic Foundation replies in another way."

Nazim said an MP is hardly treated with the due dignity that he or she deserves. Even a messenger of any government department doesn't properly evaluate the MPs. "We all have to raise our voice in order to get rid of this bureaucracy. We're held hostage to bureaucracy. We all need to be vocal in order to get rid of this bureaucracy. I tell the members of parliament, please play a strong role to get rid of this bureaucracy," he said.

Alleging that propaganda and rumours are being spread through YouTube, Nazim Uddin demanded the government shutdown YouTube.

"I see on YouTube that Khaleda Zia is dying. Sheikh Hasina is going to be ousted tomorrow. Again I see the army chief being dragged down. This is the propaganda we see on YouTube. Where're these coming from? Confusion is being spread in this way -- we don't understand what the Ministry of Information is doing!" Nazim said.

He urged the Ministry of Information to shut down YouTube, if necessary. "We shouldn't compromise with criminals and anti-liberation war elements," he added.