Minister of State for Shipping Criticises Opposition During Parliamentary Debate

During a session of the National Parliament on Sunday, 26 April 2026, the Minister of State for Shipping, Rajib Ahsan, addressed the House regarding the “restlessness” he observed within the opposition benches. Participating in the discussion on the thanks-motion following the President’s speech, the Minister suggested that the current unease amongst opposition members stems from the loss of privileges they allegedly enjoyed during the preceding 18-month tenure of the interim administration.

Minister Ahsan drew a parallel between the former military-backed caretaker government of 2007 (often referred to as ‘One-Eleven’) and the recent 18-month interim period. He asserted that the previous administration was widely perceived as being supported by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the Nationalist Conservative Party (NCP), which currently form the core of the parliamentary opposition.

Allegations of Unregulated Access and Privilege

The Minister’s remarks provoked a significant uproar from the opposition benches as he claimed that the transition of power has disrupted a period of “comfort” for the current opposition leaders. To substantiate his claims, Minister Ahsan cited alleged comments from a leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

“I can provide evidence of a statement made by a student leader,” the Minister claimed. “He described how they spent their time, stating they could enter the Chief Adviser’s residence or bedroom at will, or access the offices of Secretaries whenever they pleased. Those facilities are no longer available, which is why there is such unrest now.”

Minister Ahsan argued that the current government’s re-establishment of formal administrative protocols has created friction for those who had grown accustomed to unregulated access during the interim phase.

Discrepancies in July Movement Casualty Figures

A significant portion of the Minister’s speech focused on the conflicting data regarding the “martyrs” of the July uprising. He noted that three different Members of Parliament had provided varying figures: 844, over 1,000, and 1,400.

Minister Ahsan pointed out that while the Ministry of Health and the United Nations had initially estimated the figure to exceed 1,400, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs subsequently published an official gazette confirming a final list of 844 individuals. He expressed confusion regarding a statement made by the Leader of the Opposition on 14 April, who claimed to have visited the homes of 1,200 martyrs out of a total of 1,400.

“If the government gazette records 844 deaths, I find it difficult to understand how the Leader of the Opposition visited 1,200 families,” Ahsan remarked. He emphasised the necessity of establishing an accurate historical record to prevent the “commercialisation of the July spirit,” similar to what he claimed had happened with the 1971 Liberation War over the last 54 years.

Freedom of Speech and Political Decorum

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to freedom of speech, noting that while criticism and satire of the Prime Minister are permissible within established norms, personal attacks on the leadership are regrettable. He specifically mentioned “indecent remarks” made by political activists regarding the late Begum Khaleda Zia, as well as targeted rhetoric against the current Prime Minister and her family members.

Minister Ahsan concluded by calling for transparency regarding the political identities of the July martyrs. He argued that while many were common labourers or students, a large portion joined the struggle at the call of political leaders, and to deny their political existence would be an injustice to their sacrifice.

Response from the Leader of the Opposition

Following the Minister’s departure from the chamber, the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, offered a rebuttal. He addressed the discrepancy in the casualty figures by referencing a speech by Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, who asserted that over 1,000 individuals from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliates alone had been martyred.

Dr Rahman dismissed the Minister’s skepticism regarding his family visits, stating:

“I have not spoken a single fabricated word. We maintain a comprehensive profile of these individuals, which is available on our website. We have only included names in our list after rigorous checking and cross-checking.”

The Leader of the Opposition maintained that their internal data remained consistent and transparent, inviting the Minister to verify the records through publically available digital resources.