Bengal Assembly Speaker leaves for Pakistan for Commonwealth meet

Kolkata, Mar 07 (UNI) West Bengal Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim is leaving for Islamabad later this month to preside over the four- day South-Asian Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Summit beginning there on March 25.

Speaking to UNI on the eve of the month-long Budget session of the state Legislative Assembly, the Speaker here today said he would participate in the important meeting, to be attended by Parliamentary Speakers of all the 27 countries of the region including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and others, also as the immediate past Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Asked whether discussions on state budget would in any way be disrupted because of his absence,Dr Halim said he was leaving for Pakistan on March 24 and would return on March 29,when there would be no session of the House.

"In fact the budget session which is beginning tomorrow would transact no business for a week after March 23 enabling me to remain present in the important global meet,'' the Speaker said.

More than 250 delegates representing various parliaments across the South Asian countries would participate in the Islamabasd meeting, being held there for the first time, the Speaker informed.

Incidentally,the West Bengal state budget would be presented by state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta in the House on March 16 following which a five day discussion on the budget proposals would be taken up by the members.

UNI