13th Parliament’s First Session Begins Today with Speaker Seat Vacant

The first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) is scheduled to commence today, Thursday (12 March), at 11:00 a.m. The session has been summoned by President Mohammed Shahabuddin. This will be the first parliamentary sitting since the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024.

According to parliamentary rules, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be elected on the very first day. Following their election, President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer their oaths. The President will also deliver his address to the House on the same day.

On Wednesday (11 March) afternoon, after a meeting of the ruling BNP’s parliamentary party, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed spoke to journalists. He said: “Several historic decisions could be taken in the first session of Parliament.”

He further informed that after today’s session, Parliament will reconvene on 15 March, after which there may be a break. “The proceedings of Parliament will be guided by public expectations, the aspirations of the martyrs, and the consensus reached in the July Charter,” he added.

The Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban has been newly renovated ahead of the session. On 5 August 2024, protesters breached barricades and entered the parliament complex, causing extensive damage to the main building, MPs’ residences (Manik Mia and Nakhalpara), old MP hostel, ministers’ hostel, secretariat hostel, and residential areas. The damage was repaired jointly by the Public Works Department and the Parliament Secretariat at a cost of nearly Tk 100 crore.

The Election Commission published the gazette results of 297 out of 299 seats in the 13th general election held on 12 February. The BNP secured 209 seats, achieving an overwhelming majority. Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats and is set to occupy the opposition bench. Other parties and independents claimed the remaining seats.

Newly elected MPs took their oaths on 17 February. In the subsequent BNP-led alliance parliamentary party meeting, Tarique Rahman was elected Leader of the House and Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizens’ Party (NCP) alliance elected Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman as Leader of the Opposition and NCP Convener Nahid Islam as Opposition Chief Whip in their parliamentary party meeting.