The first session of the 10th Parliament has begun with no representation of the BNP – a first in more than two decades of Bangladesh’s democracy.
The maiden session began at 6pm Wednesday with recitations from the Quran.
It was presided over by outgoing Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali instead of Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, because she was nominated for re-election in that post.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Leader of the House, was present. Adorned in a white saree and creamy cashmere shawl, the Awami League chief was seen in good humour.
Leader of the Opposition, Jatiya Party’s Raushan Ershad, in a pink saree, was present in the session along with husband and party chief Hussein Muhammad Ershad.
Ershad’s Jatiya Party has replaced the BNP in Parliament as the main Opposition.
Despite much flip-flop, Ershad’s party contested the Jan 5 polls and ended up with the second largest numbers of seats.
This is also the first time Bangladesh will see the Leader of the Opposition who is not from either the Awami League or the BNP, but is a woman, like her predecessors.
The BNP boycotted the elections because the government ignored its demand to hold the elections under a neutral non-party caretaker.
The BNP had announced nationwide protests and black flag rallies to protest the Wednesday’s session which led to clashes in some places of the country.
Source: Bd news24
