Opposition walks out during President’s speech over three allegations

The opposition in Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament staged a walkout during the inaugural address of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, citing three alleged offences by the head of state.

Opposition leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman explained that the boycott was a protest against what the opposition views as violations of constitutional and democratic norms.

According to Dr Shafiqur, the opposition had previously requested that no individuals associated with fascism or implicated in killings be allowed to address Parliament. He accused the President of committing three key actions that, in the opposition’s view, undermined his credibility.

First, Shafiqur Rahman claimed that the President was complicit in incidents of killings. Second, he criticised the President’s national address on 5 August 2024, during which the President stated that the then prime minister had resigned and that he had accepted the resignation, but allegedly later contradicted the statement. The opposition leader argued that this discrepancy called into question the President’s reliability.

As a third allegation, Dr Shafiqur pointed to the ordinance signed by the President that stipulated elected MPs would simultaneously serve on a reform council, with both oaths administered on the same day by the same authority. While opposition members complied, he said the ruling party did not.

Moreover, Shafiqur claimed that the President failed to convene a session of the reform council within 30 days as required, disregarding the mandate of a referendum supported by roughly 70 per cent of voters.

Meanwhile, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam called on the Speaker to prevent “fascist elements or their associates” from delivering speeches in Parliament, warning that such interventions could compromise the dignity and integrity of the House.

The walkout highlights deep tensions in the newly convened Parliament, with the opposition insisting that constitutional obligations and public mandates must be respected before engaging in parliamentary proceedings.