The first session of the 13th Parliament on Thursday unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound grief at the death of three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, 31 former lawmakers and several other eminent personalities.
Former President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury was among 31 ex-parliamentarians.
Other noted personalities included former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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The motion was moved by newly elected Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
The other ex-parliamentarians also include BNP’s Farhad Ahmed Chowdhury (Kishoreganj-4) and Nadim Mostafa (Rajshahi-4), Workers Party’s Shahidullah Shahid (Thakurgaon-3), Lutfun Nesa Hossain (Reserved Women’s Seat-6), Mahbubur Rahman (Patuakhali-4), Mostafizur Rahman (Dinajpur-5), Deputy Leader of Parliament Matia Chowdhury (Sherpur-2), BNP’s Shahiduzzaman Beltu, (Jhenaidah-4).
Besides, BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Rozi Kabir (Reserved Women’s Seat-8), SM Akram (Narayanganj-5), BNP’s SA Khalek (Dhaka-11), Sector Commander and second Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh KM Shafiullah, Bir Uttam, (Narayanganj-1), BNP’s Abdul Momin Talukder (Bogura-3), BNP’s Abdullah Al Noman (Chattogram-9), Nazim Uddin Ahmed (Lakshmipur-1) and Col (retd) M. Anwarul Azim (Cumilla-10).
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Former President of Gono Forum Mostafa Mohsin Montu (Dhaka-3) and BNP’s Abdul Mannan Talukder (Sirajganj-3), Iftikhar Uddin Talukder Pintu (Netrokona-3) and Hafez Ruhul Amin Madani (Mymensingh-7) were among the ex-MPs.
The other ex-MPs are BNP’s Borhan Uddin (Noakhali-6), BNP’s Motiar Rahman Talukder (Barguna-3), Nur Afroz Ali (Reserved Women’s Seat-14), Abdul Karim Khandker (Pabna-2), Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh (Munshiganj-1), Jatiya Party’s former minister and BNP’s former MP Major General (Retd.) Mahmudul Hasan (Tangail-5), former minister Ramesh Chandra Sen (Thakurgaon-1), Abdul Mannan Khan (Dhaka-1), BNP’s Mia Abdullah Wazed (Brahmanbaria-4) and Joaherul Islam (Tangail-8), Saleha Khatun (Reserve seat-30), Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yousuf and Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.
The Parliament also expressed deep grief at the demise of those who sacrificed their lives in the long 17-year struggle from 2007 to August 05, 2024 for ensuring voting rights, democracy, the rule of law, justice and human rights.
It also recalled with respect former BNP lawmaker M Ilias Ali and BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon and others who were victim of enforced disappearance and killings in the time.
The Speaker described 2024 as the milestone for the struggle to establish democracy for the people of Bangladesh.
Besides, the House expressed profound shock at the demise of July Uprising martyrs including Abu Sayed, Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, Shahariar Khan Anas, Mehedi Hasan Junayed and Farhan Faiyaz.
The Parliament mourned the death of students in the Uttara Milestone school air crash on July 21, 2025, including school teacher and Independence Award 2026 recipient (posthumously) Maherin Chowdhury, the death of army officers in the 2009 Pilkhana carnage and the loss of lives of those who were killed during the 2013 Shapla Chattor Hefazat rally.
The names of former Jamaat MPs Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, among others, were included in the condolence motion on request.
During the halfway of placement of the condolence motion, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni requested the Speaker to include the names of former Jamaat MPs Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Delwar Hossain Sayeedi as well as some others including former BNP MP Mashiur Rahman (Jhenaidah-2) in the motion.
At this stage, Leader of the Opposition Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman took the floor and said some names were dropped from the motion.
He requested the Speaker to give the floor to Deputy Opposition Leader Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher to propose the dropped-out names.
Then Dr Taher said it is unfortunate that the condolence motion was prepared as one-sided one. “If we want the Parliament to be neutral and vibrant, we need to be more careful on these issues,” he said.
Noting the names of those ‘who were ministers and very important personalities in the past remain’ out of the motion, he proposed some names including Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Moulana Abdus Sobhan, AKM Yousuf, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah and Mir Quasem Ali for inclusion in the condolence motion.
Later, Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam requested the Speaker to include the names of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi (Osman Hadi), Abrar Fahad and Felani Khatun (a 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl who was shot and killed by the Indian BSF in 2011) in the motion.
The Speaker incorporated all the names placed by the Chief Whip, the Deputy Opposition Leader and the Opposition Chief Whip.
A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered seeking eternal peace for the departed souls.
Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain (Kaikobad) conducted the Munajat.
The condolence motion was adopted by a voice vote following two separate discussions on the death of Khaleda Zia and sacrifice of July martyrs.
BNP Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit (Jashore-3), BJP chairman Andaleeve Rahman (Bhola-1) and Jamaat MP ATM Azharul Islam (Rangpur-2) participated in the discussion on Khaleda Zia.
They highlighted the contribution and sacrifice of Khaleda Zia to Bangladesh and democracy during her 43 year-long political career.
Water Resource Minister Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, BNP MP Goyasawar Chandra Roy, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam and State Minister for Planning Md. Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki joined the discussion on the July martyrs.
Mirza Fakhrul described Khaleda Zia as a courageous leader and visionary stateswoman who never compromised on the issues of democracy or the country’s independence and sovereignty throughout her political life.
“In her 43 years of political life, she never compromised on the issue of democracy. She never compromised on the issue of the sovereignty and independence of Bangladesh. And that was her greatest achievement that inspires the people of Bangladesh,” he said.
Salahuddin Ahmed said Khaleda Zia actually took oath as the Prime Minister four times – Twice in 1991 (first during the presidential system and the second after introduction of parliamentary system), once in 1996 and again in 2001.
Noting that Khaleda Zia never lost election in any constituency, the Minister said, “Whenever she contested, no matter from how many constituencies, in the election, she was elected everywhere.”
Salahuddin said she was recognised by the people of Bangladesh as ‘Deshanetri’ (the Leader of the Country) and mother of democracy for her unprecedented sacrifices in different democratic movements including the anti-autocratic movement and anti-fascism struggle.
Nahid Islam demanded justice for the killings during the July uprising, enforced disappearances and past incidents of corruption and plunder, saying the spirit of July represents a democratic, inclusive and fascism-free Bangladesh.