DHAKA: Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan made a plea in parliament Tuesday that the government should take action against Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman for his alleged connection with the 21st August grenade attack on Awami League rally in 2004.

Shahjan Khan rose on a point of order and fired the salvo against the editor of the Bengali daily, citing some street protests.

He said there are street programmes like human chain demanding trial of Matiur Rahman. “So the allegation should be taken with due importance.”

Daily Prothom Alo “always tries to disparage parliament members”, opined Shahjahan Khan.

Taking the floor on point of order at this point of proceedings of the House, Suranjit Sengupta said newspapers should play their role with responsibility, not with a vindictive attitude.

“Reports slandering parliament and its members give an idea that conspiracies are there,” said the outspoken parliamentarian of the ruling party.

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, on his point of order, said, “The racket engaged in conspiracies against democracy is active again. They should be dealt with due importance.”

At this point of the heated observations, Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid also joined his voice with his party colleagues to say that newspapers and journalists should not write “made-up stories” on parliament.

“It will not be good for the country if the parliament and its members are belittled,” the speaker said.

Adding fuel to the fire, Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui urged the speaker to summon Matiur Rahman and ask him how he managed his present position, rising high from the rank of editor of weekly Ekota.

“The nation should know what Matiur Rahman did during the period from 2001 to 2007,” the minister told the lawmakers.

BDST 2057 HRS, SEP 21, 2010