13th Jatiya Sangsad goes into first session Thursday

The Jatiya Sangsad will go into its first session on Thursday.

“The first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad will begin at 11am,” said an official release from the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat.

Earlier, on February 23, President Mohammad Shahabuddin summoned the session for March 12.

The president, also the head of state, convened the session exercising the power bestowed upon him under Article 72(1) of the Constitution, the release said.

Before the House proceedings begin, the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee is likely to hold a meeting to fix the duration and agenda of the session.

The main task of the treasury bench in the first sitting is to place before the House those ordinances that the government wants to turn into law.

The interim government promulgated or amended a total of 130 ordinances during its 18-month tenure.

According to the Constitution, the president must convene the first session of the new parliament within 30 days of publication of the gazette of the parliamentary election results.

He does so in accordance with the written advice of the prime minister.

The gazette of the MPs elected in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election held on February 12 was published on February 13.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has already been elected as the Leader of the House in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, while Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has been elected as the Leader of the Opposition.

As Speaker of the 12th Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has resigned, a senior BNP leader will preside over the first sitting of parliament, an official of the parliament secretariat said.

Immediately after the House goes into its maiden sitting, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be elected and sworn in by the President.

After their election, the session is likely to be adjourned for 15 to 20 minutes for the oath-taking.

The new Speaker will then preside over the House session.

The Business Advisory Committee of the new parliament will also be formed at the first sitting, with the new Speaker as its head.

The committee will decide the duration of the inaugural session and other business of parliament.

The standing committees on different ministries are also likely to be formed during this session.

President Shahabuddin will also address the first sitting of the session in line with the Constitution, according to sources at the parliament secretariat.

The cabinet will approve the speech, and MPs will discuss the president’s speech.

At the first sitting, the House will also adopt an obituary motion.

The current parliament was formed through the February 12 national election, in which the BNP-led alliance secured 212 seats, while the BNP alone won 209 seats.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance bagged 76 seats, with Jamaat alone winning 68.