President calls first session of 13th Parliament on 12 March

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has called the first session of the 13th Parliament on 12 March, according to a press release issued by the Parliament Secretariat on Monday.

The session has been convened in accordance with Section 72(1) of the Constitution, the release said. It was signed by Md Emdadul Haque, director of Public Relations at the Parliament Secretariat.

The inaugural sitting of the new parliament will begin at 11am on the scheduled day.

Under existing constitutional and legal provisions, newly elected lawmakers are required to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker on the first day of the parliamentary session.

This election process will take place at the beginning of proceedings before other legislative business is conducted.

After the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected, the formal activities of the parliament will commence under the supervision of the newly elected Speaker.

The first session of a newly formed parliament typically marks the formal start of legislative functions, including oath-taking procedures, leadership elections and the establishment of parliamentary committees.

With the announcement of the date, preparations are expected to move forward to ensure the smooth conduct of the session and the completion of necessary procedural formalities.

The call for the session reflects the constitutional responsibility of the President to summon parliament after general elections and ensure the proper functioning of the legislative body.