কেন্দ্রীয় সরকারকে দেয়া পেমেন্ট নিয়ে প্রশ্ন তুললেন বঙ্গবন্ধু
২৩ সেপ্টেম্বর ১৯৫৫
করাচী
অডিওতে কণ্ঠ দিয়েছেন Tahia Tabassum Trena.
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Mr. Speaker: You have reached your time-limit.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: How can that be. I had to speak for 10 minutes and hardly have I taken 7 minutes. Please see the watch and I have also a watch in my hand. I do not forget time, Sir, There are two minutes more.
Now, Sir, let them pay many more hundred crores but it should come from the Province of West Pakistan. Let them pay anything from the Exchequer of West Pakistan, we have nothing to say about it. But, Sir, two amendments have passed but we have not asked for a division but we are not going to go on in this way. We must ask for a division.
Mr. Fazlur Rahman: We have to speak.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Well, Sir, several members are anxious to speak. Mr. Delder Ahmad, Mr. Fazlur Rahman and some other members would like to speak. Sir, they want to pay this huge amount from the Exchequer of Federal Government which is also the money of East Pakistan as also that of West Pakistan. But if the money had come from West Pakistan alone then we had nothing to say but when we are going to pay from the central revenues we are not going to agree to this payment; we are not ready to pay money to tribal areas; we do not want to pay these seven crores every year from the poor Exchequer of Pakistan. Sir, with these few words I appeal to you and my friends particularly to the United Front, because this thing will travel to East Bengal and in the general elections they will have to face the people no doubt on this point, to desist from this.
I also request my friends of the Muslim League to meet this expenditure from the resources of West Pakistan Unit and not from the Central Exchequer. We will be glad if West Pakistan Unit pays for it. With these few words I want to support the amendment.
Mr. Fazlur Rahman: Will you adjourn today for Asar prayers and then we will speak.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: It is time for prayers.
Mr. Speaker: The House stands adjourned for 15 minutes for Asar prayers.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: It should be for 20 minutes, Fifteen minutes would be quite insufficient.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It is for me to decide. It is no point of order. Please sit down.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Bengal: Muslim): Sir, I rise to support the amendments of Mr. Ataur Rahman and Sardar Fazlul Karim. Sir, I must congratulate my friend, Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan, because he is a very considerate person; he has given three months to the Governor. Sir, you are aware that the proposal is that West Pakistan will be one unit and the States of Bahawalpur, Khairpur, as also the provinces of frontier, Sind etc. will be integrated. The position that will obtain will be different from what it is now-have so many provinces and States. It is now proposed that the budget of this integrated province should be placed before the representatives of the people within a period of three months. I shall give you my reasons. It is just possible that a particular man of particular province may not be fair in his allocation. Honourable Mr. Gurmani has told us that there are so may important things to be done: allocation for education, for agriculture and so on. Sir, we do not insist that the Governor’s powers should be curtailed. we have provided for three months but thereafter the representatives of the people must vote the budget. If the Governor submits his budget to the Legislative Assembly where the representatives from all constituent parts will assemble, the members would be able to take stock of the situation and they can change the allocations, if they like. They can even prepare a new budget it they do not like the one presented to them on behalf of the Governor. It is not long that you will have your legislature in West Pakistan by indirect elections. Now, what is the harm if the Governor, who has been appointed by the Governor-General not the representative of the people-presents his budget to the Assembly. Sir, it is past eight: Shall we continue?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Yes.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, I say to my friends opposite that it is a very considerate suggestion. We want to give three months to the Governor. We know there will be initial difficulties in the way of setting up a new province and do not say that the budget must be presented just now. All that we say is that the budget must be presented within three months. I would request the Honourable Members opposite to accept this amendment. Be considerate sometimes, let the people say that you also believe in democracy and in a body of public representatives. You are yourself constituting the Assembly and would it not be an insult to that Assembly if that cannot review the budget? The same is the position here. Here we are sitting and the budget has not been presented to us.
Now, at the time the Governor makes allocation to different provinces, it is possible that he may overlook the interest of a particular province. If the budget is presented to the Assembly it can be discussed by the representatives from all parts of West Pakistan. If one man from any particular area is empowered to frame the budget of West Pakistan it is possible that he might do injustice to the people of other provinces.
With these few words, I resume my seat.
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 34-39, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani