AL lawmaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali at the meeting of the committee also demanded a discussion on the activities of the AFD.

In support of his demand, he said instead of the AFD the defence ministry should carry out all the coordination of the armed forces. "There is not a single instance in the world where such a division coordinates the armed forces, overstepping the defence ministry," he argued.

Committee Chairman and former army chief Mahbubur Rahman contradicted Shawkat Ali's demand, saying that the existence of the AFD is a reality. He, however, assured the opposition lawmaker to discuss the activities of the AFD in the future.

Talking to The Daily Star after the meeting, Shawkat Ali said such a body to coordinate the defence forces was formed by the military ruler, but "a democratic government system does not need such a body, which often creates problem in the defence forces.

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"Also, the government expenditure will be reduced if the Armed Forces Division is dissolved," he opined.

He said a body named "chief of defence staff" was first formed to coordinate the defence forces during military rule after 1975. It was later dissolved and the "joint chief of secretariat" was formed. In 1978, the military ruler dissolved this body too, and formed the "supreme command head quarters".

The BNP government in 1991 dissolved the previous body and formed the AFD, presently a division under the prime minister's office.