Newly elected speaker, deputy speaker pay tributes to Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia

Speaker of the 13^th Jatiya Sangsad Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram and Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal paid tribute to former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia on Friday by laying wreaths at their graves at Sher-e-Banglanagar in Dhaka.

The ceremony began with the newly elected speaker placing floral wreaths at the gravesite, followed shortly afterwards by the deputy speaker. Both leaders then observed a brief period of silence to honour the memory of the late political figures.

Special prayers were also offered during the visit, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls.

Speaking to journalists after the ceremony, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed described the current period as a significant moment in the country’s political history, saying Bangladesh had reached a new phase after what he characterised as a prolonged struggle to restore democratic governance.

During his remarks, the speaker referred to Ziaur Rahman as a central figure in Bangladesh’s history and credited him with proclaiming the country’s independence and leading resistance efforts during the Liberation War.

He also praised Khaleda Zia for her role in the country’s political development, describing her as a leader who made major sacrifices in the effort to re-establish parliamentary democracy.

Commenting on the political situation following the 13^th parliamentary election, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said the electorate had given the Bangladesh Nationalist Party a two-thirds majority, which he said could open a path for strengthening democratic institutions.

He also stated that both he and the deputy speaker had stepped down from their respective party positions after assuming their parliamentary roles. According to him, the move was intended to ensure neutrality in the conduct of parliamentary proceedings and to allow equal opportunities for both the treasury and opposition benches in the national parliament.

Officials from the parliament secretariat, including the additional secretary and the sergeant-at-arms, were present during the tribute ceremony, along with other staff members and representatives from various media organisations.

The visit formed part of the newly elected parliamentary leadership’s formal tribute to prominent figures associated with the country’s political history.