The 10th parliament is set to begin its journey with its opening session on Wednesday following the much-talked-about January 5 national election boycotted by the BNP-led alliance.
President Abdul Hamid will address the House on the first day of the first session of the new parliament scheduled to begin at 6pm.
According to the Constitution, at the commencement of the first session after a general election of members of parliament and at the commencement of the first session of each year President shall address Parliament.
Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan on Monday said the speech of the President has already been sent to the President through the Prime Minister and its printing is going on.
On January 16, the Cabinet in its first meeting approved the President’s draft speech with some observations after the formation of the new Cabinet on January 12 following Bangladesh Awami League’s absolute majority.
Earlier on January 13, the President summoned the maiden session of the new parliament exercising the power bestowed upon him as per article 72 (1) of the constitution, according to the legislative support wing of the Parliament Secretariat.
The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the new parliament will be elected on the first day of the session.
According to the Constitution, Parliament shall, at the first sitting after any general election, elect from among its members a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker and if either office becomes vacant shall within seven days or, if Parliament is not then sitting at its first meeting thereafter, elect one of its members to fill the vacancy.
President Abdul Hamid will administer the oath of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker at the President’s chamber.
After a short interval, a condolence motion will be adopted at the House expressing sorrow at the death of Awami League MP (Tangail-8) Shawkat Momen Shahjahan, said an official at the Parliament Secretariat. Then, President Abdul Hamid will deliver his speech.
Meanwhile, ruling party Chief Whip of the new parliament ASM Feroz on Monday said the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) will sit in a meeting on Tuesday to nominate the names for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party is looking for the post of Deputy Speaker. JP leader Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, also the Water Resources Minister, has already shared with the media about their desire to have the post.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will play the role of Leader of the House for the third time while Jatiya Party senior presidium member Raushon Ershad as the opposition leader.
On January 11, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury recognised Raushon Ershad as the opposition chief.
Meanwhile, five MPs have already been made whips in the 10th parliament. They are M Atiur Rahman Atik of Sherpur-1, Shahiduzzaman Sarker of Naogaon-2, Iqbalur Rahim of Dinajpur-3, M Shahabuddin of Moulvibazar-1 and Solaiman Haque Joardar Selun of Chuadanga-1, according to the Parliament Secretariat.
The election to the 10th parliament was held on January 5 amid boycott by the BNP-led 18-party alliance. Awami League won the election with brute majority.
On January 12, the new government led by Sheikh Hasina took oath while the ninth parliament’s tenure expired on January 24.
So far, 297 MPs out of 300 are officially elected, including 232 of Awami League and 34 of JP (Ershad).
Of the MPs, 15 are independent, five of JSD, six of Workers Party, two of (Monju), two of Tarikat Federation and one of BNF.
Source: UNB Connect
