JP MPs stage walkout demanding Biman’s boss removal

UNB, Sangsad Bhaban :Jatiya Party MPs staged a walkout from Parliament on Sunday demanding the removal of Biman Bangladesh Airlines chairman Jamal Uddin Ahmed for his alleged involvement in gold smuggling.The opposition MPs staged the walkout at 6:10pm when Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Raushon Ershad were not present in the House. They returned to Parliament after five minutes.This was the second walkout by the opposition MPs in the 10th Parliament. They staged the first walkout on March 23 protesting the power tariff hike.Independent MP Tahzeeb Alam Chowdhury also staged walkout for two minutes on the issue.Taking floor on point of order, Jatiya Party presidium member Kazi Firoz Rashid raised the issues of the alleged involvement of the Biman chairman in gold smuggling.He said a Parliamentary Standing Committee of the last Parliament in its report branded the Biman chairman as ‘thief’.”The report of the 9th parliament’s standing committee termed Biman chairman thief. But we’ve not get any copy of the report till yesterday. We’ve not seen any action taken against anyone,” he said.Coming down heavily on retired Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed for his alleged involvement in corruption and anomalies, Firoz Rashid demanded his removal from the post. “We’ll be bound to stage a walkout if the minister does not remove him. We’ll stay in the House if the minister assures us.”Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon was present in the House at that time.”Jamal Uddin has been the Biman chairman for the last six years. Three ministers (Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister) have been changed during the period. Several managing directors have also been changed and the entire Biman Board has also been restructured. But Jamal Uddin is not removed yet,” he added.