Shirin for Speaker, Rabbi for Deputy Speaker

The Parliamentary Party of the Awami League nominated them at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday.

Their election is of academic interest as the ruling party enjoys a huge majority.

Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury has also been nominated as Deputy Leader of Parliament.

The first session of the 10th Parliament will begin on Tuesday and its first task will be to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

As Chaudhury is running for the post of Speaker, outgoing Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali will preside over the session.

Fazle Rabbi is a first-timer to the post of Deputy Speaker. The veteran politician has represented Gaibandha in Parliament several times.

He was also Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Government Assurances during the Awami League’s previous term.

The 47-year-old Chaudhury became Bangladesh’s first female Speaker at the end of the ninth Parliament after Abdul Hamid took over as President of Bangladesh.

She had been elected from a reserved seat for women in the ninth Parliament. She had intended to run from her area in Noakhali but failed to get a ticket from the party.

She later wanted to be nominated as an aspirant from reserved seats for women in the 10th Parliament.

Awami League chief Hasina, meanwhile, vacated her Rangpur-6, leaving it for Chaudhury to run in the by-polls.

She has been elected unopposed.

Source: Bd news24