March 13, 2026
DHAKA – The Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban will come to life at 11:00am when newly elected lawmakers gather for the first sitting.
They were elected in the February 12 general election, the country’s first credible polls in more than 15 years.
Since 1991, Bangladesh’s parliaments have often been marred by boycotts, hollow debates, and the perception of serving as little more than rubber stamps for ruling parties.
Expectations are therefore high that the new House will break from that pattern.
From the outset, the parliament faces several crucial tasks. Among the most immediate is deciding the fate of 133 ordinances promulgated by the interim government. Under the constitution, parliament must approve or reject them within 30 days.
Lawmakers will also elect a Speaker and deputy speaker on the first day. The new parliament features a two-thirds majority for the treasury bench.
However, uncertainty remains over the formation of the Constitution Reform Council, proposed under the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025.
Chief Whip of the 13th parliament Nurul Islam Moni told reporters at a press conference yesterday, “The parliamentary session that begins tomorrow will be the people’s parliament, the highest democratic institution representing the rights, hopes, and dreams of the people.
“Our goal is to run an effective, vibrant, and responsible parliament,” he said.
“We want an environment for constructive discussion, rational arguments, and healthy debate on issues of national importance. The beauty of democracy is finding solutions to national problems through discussion and despite differences of opinion.”
He also expressed hope that opposition parties would play a constructive role so the nation can move towards a stronger and more self-reliant future.
FIRST SITTING
Nurul said the maiden sitting will begin with the Speaker’s chair remaining vacant briefly, as there is currently no Speaker or deputy speaker in office.
Leader of the House Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will propose the name of a senior member to preside over the sitting temporarily. After it is seconded by another MP, the nominated member will chair the session during which the speaker and deputy speaker will be elected, Nurul said.
Usually, the outgoing Speaker or deputy speaker presides over the first meeting of a new parliament. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of the 12th parliament, resigned in September 2024 and has not appeared publicly since and deputy speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku is in prison after being arrested in a murder case linked to the July uprising.
Nurul said the BNP Parliamentary Party has entrusted Tarique with nominating the candidates for Speaker and deputy speaker.
After the election, the two will be sworn in by the president, and the new Speaker will then preside over the House.
The parliament’s Business Advisory Committee will also be formed during the first sitting, with the Speaker as its head. The committee will determine the duration of the inaugural session and the parliamentary agenda.
Condolence motions will be placed in memory of three-time prime minister and former BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, those who made the supreme sacrifice during the July mass uprising, and other eminent personalities from home and abroad.
The law minister will present the 133 ordinances issued during the interim government. A “special committee” comprising members from treasury and opposition benches will be formed to scrutinise them, the chief whip said.
“The committee will decide which ordinances will remain in force and which will lapse. We will try to pass the necessary ordinances by April 12,” he added.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin is scheduled to address the session. The day’s sitting will be adjourned after his speech.
REFORM COUNCIL UNCERTAIN
Under the July charter order, members of the 13th parliament were expected to perform a dual role, serve as lawmakers and as members of a Constitution Reform Council to deal with 48 constitutional provisions outlined in the July charter within 180 working days.
For this purpose, MPs were required to take two separate oaths: one as members of parliament and another as members of the council.
However, the future of the council remains uncertain. Nurul said the council is not recognised in the constitution, which is why the BNP MPs did not take oath as its members.
A decision on the matter will be made once the council is incorporated into the constitution, he added.
The proposal to form the council faced a setback when BNP lawmakers took oath as MPs but declined to be sworn in as council members. In contrast, MPs from Jamaat-e-Islami and allied opposition parties have taken both oaths.
EXPECTATIONS
Prof Al Masud Hasanuzzaman of Jahangirnagar University’s government and politics department said many hope the stagnation and failures of past parliaments will not be repeated.
“The treasury bench and the opposition bench must play their respective roles,” he said.
He said opposition parties have already indicated they want to make the parliament constructive, adding that the proposal to offer the deputy speaker’s post to the opposition is a positive gesture from the BNP.
To make parliament effective and strengthen the legislative process, he said, every bill must undergo proper scrutiny and debate.
He hoped that the culture of boycotting parliament, the absence of the opposition leaders, and the use of “unparliamentary language” would come to an end.
Despite lawmaking being one of parliament’s core responsibilities, lawmakers have often shown limited interest or exposed a lack of skills or knowledge required for meaningful legislative deliberation.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) found that in the 11th parliament, only 16.7 percent of total proceedings time was devoted to lawmaking. The 10th parliament spent 12 percent of its time on legislative affairs, while the 9th devoted just 8 percent.
BOYCOTTS
Bangladesh’s parliamentary history has also been marked by frequent boycotts.
The Awami League boycotted 34 percent of sittings in the fifth parliament, BNP 43 percent in the seventh, Awami League 60 percent in the eighth, and BNP 82 percent in the ninth.
Opposition leaders skipped 70 percent of working days in the fifth parliament, 93 percent in the seventh, 88 percent in the eighth, 97.6 percent in the ninth, 41 percent in the 10th, and 80 percent in the 11th.
The culture of boycotting parliament declined significantly in the 10th, 11th, and 12th parliaments, which were formed through the controversial elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024.
The 10th parliament set a rare precedent when three opposition MPs from the Jatiya Party simultaneously held cabinet positions. The party played only a limited role as an opposition in the following two parliaments.
Prof Nizam Ahmed, an expert on parliamentary affairs, said he remains cautiously optimistic about the new House.
Many MPs, he noted, are professionals rather than businessmen, which could give them an advantage in parliamentary work.
“From the party’s side, there also appears to be a serious effort to prepare and groom them and build a disciplined team ready for the responsibilities ahead,” he said.