Bangladesh’s 13th Parliament has formally begun its journey with the start of its inaugural session, marking the first sitting of the newly elected legislature following the February 12 general election. The session commenced on Thursday morning at the Jatiya Sangsad complex in Dhaka, amid public expectations that the new parliament will play a more active and effective role in addressing national issues.
Proceedings began at 11:05am with introductory remarks from Kaniz Moula, Secretary of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat. The opening was followed by a recitation from the Holy Quran and a welcome address from Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman.
Unlike previous parliamentary inaugurations, the session began with the Speaker’s chair vacant. Both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the previous 12th Parliament were unavailable, prompting the Leader of the House to nominate a senior lawmaker to temporarily preside over the chamber.
Prime Minister Rahman proposed Dr Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain, a senior BNP leader and Member of Parliament from Cumilla-2, to oversee the sitting until the election of a new Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The nomination was supported by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and endorsed by opposition Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker MA Taher.
Following the election of the two key parliamentary positions, the session is expected to pause briefly to allow the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker to take their oaths of office. The oath will be administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban before parliamentary proceedings resume under the leadership of the new presiding officer.
During the first day of the session, lawmakers are also expected to announce the panel of chairpersons responsible for presiding over sittings during the initial session. A condolence motion will be tabled and discussed in memory of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, as well as former members of parliament and other prominent public figures who have passed away.
The government is also set to present a significant legislative agenda. The Law Minister is expected to place 133 ordinances before the House for parliamentary endorsement. These measures were introduced during the tenure of the interim administration and must be approved by parliament to remain in effect.
Several standing and advisory committees, including the business advisory committee of parliament, are also expected to be formed during the session to guide parliamentary work.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin is scheduled to address the House later in the day, outlining the government’s policy priorities and legislative direction.
Officials indicated that the inaugural session is likely to conclude after another sitting scheduled for March 15, ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
A day before the session began, the BNP Parliamentary Party held a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban under the chairmanship of Tarique Rahman. Following the meeting, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni told reporters that the ruling party aims to make the new parliament more dynamic and responsive through constructive debate and dialogue.
“Our goal is to build an effective, vibrant and responsible parliament where national issues are addressed through discussion and reasoned debate,” he said.
Nurul Islam also confirmed that the BNP parliamentary leadership had authorised the Prime Minister to determine the candidates for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Earlier, on February 23, President Shahabuddin formally summoned the first session of the 13th Parliament under Article 72(1) of the Constitution, which requires the legislature to convene within 30 days of the declaration of election results.
The February 12 general election saw the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secure a two-thirds majority in parliament. Polling was held in 299 of the country’s 300 constituencies after voting in Sherpur-3 was postponed following the death of a candidate.
According to the official results, BNP won 209 seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68. Smaller parties and independent candidates also gained representation, reflecting a diverse parliamentary composition.
Members of the newly elected parliament were sworn in on February 17, with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin administering the oath. Tarique Rahman, elected from two constituencies, took his oath as the Member of Parliament for Dhaka-17, leaving Bogura-6 vacant for a by-election.
Under the Constitution, the five-year tenure of the 13th Parliament begins from the date of its first sitting. Unless dissolved earlier by the President, the current parliament will remain in office for the full constitutional term.
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