Bhola-3 lawmaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has taken oath as the speaker and Barrister Kayser Kamal of Netrokona-1 as the deputy speaker. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered both the oaths on Thursday.
The maiden session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad began at 11:05am with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a welcome speech from Leader of the House and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Prior to his appointment as speaker, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed served as the liberation war affairs minister and resigned from the post on Wednesday, Md Akbar Hossain, assistant private secretary to the minister, confirmed.
A retired major of the Bangladesh Army, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed became a member of the BNP standing committee in 2024.
Meanwhile, Kayser Kamal had been serving as the state minister for the Ministry of Land but resigned prior to his appointment as the deputy speaker.
He was elected from the Netrokona-1 constituency (Kalamkanda-Durgapur) in the 13th national parliamentary election as a candidate of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
During his welcome speech Tarique Rahman said he represents the people of the country regardless of party affiliation, stressing that the BNP's goal is to make every family self-reliant.
Empowering families economically and socially remains a key objective of BNP, he added.
The prime minister also said he represents the people of the country regardless of party affiliation, stressing that the goal of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is to make every family self-reliant.
Unlike in the past, however, the first session of the new parliament began with the chair of speaker vacant.
BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was nominated to temporarily chair the House before the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker by Members of Parliament.
In the first-day sitting, a condolence motion will be placed expressing profound grief at the death of three-time prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, former MPs and other noted personalities.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin will also deliver his speech in the House Thursday.
