Matia elected deputy leader of the parliament
Treasury bench and opposition lawmakers on Sunday hailed ruling party lawmaker Begum Matia Chowdhury of Sherpur-2 for being elected as a deputy leader of the parliament.
The lawmakers made this appreciation while participating in a discussion under the point of order of the rules of procedure of the constitution held at the Jatiya Sangsad here with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Lauding the political career of the veteran politician, Jatiya Party lawmaker Fakhrul Imam of Mymensingh-8 said "The ruling Awami League has given her eligible position as the party has properly evaluated her contribution and sacrifice to the nation".
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Matia was born in 1942 and her political career began in 1962, said the opposition lawmaker, adding "We knew her as a 'Daughter of Fire' and she was elected as organising secretary of the ruling Awami League in 1971."
She served the nation as the agriculture minister three times and she has a lot of contributions to developing the agriculture of the country, he told the parliament.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and lawmaker Rustum Ali Faraji of Pirojpur-3 also participated in the discussion.
Ruling Awami League's presidium member and former minister Matia Chowdhury has been selected as the deputy leader of the national parliament.
The procedure was finalised at the meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday night.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the ALPP meeting.
According to party sources, Matia Chowdhury's name was also considered as the next president of the country but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wanted to keep her in the parliament as the post of deputy leader of the house has remained vacant after the demise of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury on September 11, last year.
Former presidium member of Awami League Sajeda Chowdhury served as the deputy leader of the parliament from 2009 to till her death.
Veteran politician Matia is five times elected MP from Sherpur-2 and served several ministries in different terms of the Awami League government.
