Hardly entertaining

The way the chief whip has defended himself against the expose has betrayed an insensitivity on his part to the seriousness of the issue at hand. He says he has not committed any act of illegality, a claim which of course is expected to go through scrutiny under the financial rules in due course; but it is certainly a question of ethics, morality and, above all, propriety that has been given rise to. Little wonder, some of the former whips have described the matter of drawing rations for his residence by the chief whip as unheard of and unprecedented.

The Jatiya Sangsad is the highest constitutional and representative organisation of the nation. Each of its functionaries is expected to conduct himself or herself impeccably setting examples in abiding by the rules of moderation, propriety and discipline.

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On the subject of entertainment allowances, we suggest that reasonable control be exercised by the recipients while the same is periodically enforced by an expenditure review committee for the parliament so as to make sure things are in order.

Given what has come out in the press, we demand that auditing be conducted at the behest of the Speaker into the use of entertainment allowance by the chief whip.