DHAKA, Oct. 25, Reuter: President Hussain Mohammad Ershad today summoned the Bangladesh Parliament into session on November 10 and the only item on the agenda is a bill giving him indemnity for his past actions. Prime Minister Mizanur Rahman Choudhury said Parliament would debate a bill to indemnify Ershad from all actions during more than four years of military rule, “The Bill is the only thing in the agenda”, Choudhury told Reuters, adding he hoped it would be passed before Ershad left for India to attend a summit of the South Asian Association for regional cooperation on November 15 and 16.
Ershad, a general who seized power in a military coup in 1982, last week won a presidential election, which he described as a last step towards the restoration of Democracy.
He took a Presidential oath on ‘Thursday vowing to safeguard the constitution he suspended four years ago before imposing martial law. But he is till the chief martial Jaw administration, a post which critics believe runs contrary to the constitution.
Ershad has said martial law would be lifted once parliament passed the indemnity bill.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 31, 1986
