BPP meets to finalise Speaker, Deputy Speaker candidates

The BNP Parliamentary Party (BPP) held a meeting on Wednesday to finalise its candidates for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker ahead of the first session of the 13th Parliament.

The meeting began around 11am in the ruling party’s parliamentary party room on the ninth floor of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony.

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman is presiding over the meeting, Chief Whip Nurul Islam said.  UNB News

“Tomorrow is the first session of parliament. This meeting is part of the preparation,” he told reporters.

The first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad will begin at 11 am on Thursday.

The day’s agenda includes the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

President Mohammad Shahabuddin will deliver the presidential address at the session.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said several ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government will be placed before parliament during the session.

“A condolence motion will also be presented,” he added.

After the newly elected MPs took oath on February 17, the BNP parliamentary party unanimously elected party chairman Tarique Rahman as the Leader of the House.

He took oath as the Prime Minister  later the same day.

In the 300-seat parliament, the results of two constituencies remain suspended, while the election in one seat was cancelled following the death of a candidate.

Among the remaining 297 seats, BNP won 209, Jamaat-e-Islami 68, Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) six and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis two seats.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Gonosamhati Andolon and Khelafat Majlis secured one seat each, while independent candidates won seven seats.

Meanwhile, the parliament secretariat has completed preparations for Thursday’s opening session.

The parliament chamber, along with the offices of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition, has been prepared.

The Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban was also damaged during the student-led uprising on August 5, 2024, which led to the fall of the previous government.

The parliament secretariat carried out renovation work to restore the facilities.