Dhaka, Bangladesh Global: The first session of Bangladesh’s 13th Parliament began at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka this morning. The session started at 11:00am in presence of the newly elected members of parliament following the February 12 general election, widely seen as the country’s first credible national polls in more than 15 years.
The sitting begins with the Speaker’s chair remaining vacant, as the previous Speaker and deputy speaker are no longer in office. Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman is expected to propose the name of a senior lawmaker to preside over the proceedings temporarily until a new Speaker and deputy speaker are elected.
Once elected, the Speaker and deputy speaker will be sworn in by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, after which the new Speaker will take charge of the House. The president is also scheduled to address the parliament later in the day, as required under the constitution.
The new parliament faces several immediate tasks. One of the most pressing is deciding the fate of 133 ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government. Under the constitution, parliament must approve or reject these ordinances within 30 days of its first sitting.
Questions also surround the proposed Constitution Reform Council outlined in the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025. The order envisages lawmakers serving both as members of parliament and members of the reform council to review 48 constitutional provisions within 180 working days.
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