“The first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad will begin at 11 am,” said an official release from the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat.
Earlier on February 23, President Mohammad Shahabuddin summoned the session for March 12. The president convened the session exercising the authority vested in him under Article 72(1) of the Constitution.
According to the constitution, the president must summon the first session of a newly elected parliament within 30 days of the publication of the gazette notification of the election results. The session is convened in accordance with the written advice of the prime minister.
The gazette of the MPs elected in the 13th parliamentary 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 the Speaker of the 12th Parliament, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, has resigned, a senior BNP leader will preside over the first sitting of the parliament, according to an official of the parliament secretariat.
Immediately after the House begins its maiden sitting, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker will be elected and sworn in by the president.
Following their election, the session is expected to be adjourned for 15 to 20 minutes to facilitate the oath-taking ceremony. The newly elected Speaker will then preside over the remainder of the session.
At the first sitting, the Business Advisory Committee of the new parliament will also be formed, with the Speaker as its head. The committee will determine the duration of the inaugural session and schedule other parliamentary business.
Standing committees on various ministries are also expected to be formed during this session.
President Shahabuddin is scheduled to address the opening sitting of the parliament in accordance with constitutional provisions. The cabinet will approve the president’s speech, after which members of parliament will discuss it.
The House will also adopt an obituary motion at the beginning of the session.
The current parliament was formed through the February 12 national election in which the BNP-led alliance secured 212 seats, including 209 seats won by the BNP alone. The Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance won 76 seats, with Jamaat securing 68 of them.
