The 21st session of the 11th Parliament, also known as winter session, began on Thursday afternoon with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. President Abdul Hamid started addressing the Jatiya Sangsad during the maiden session of 2023 as per the Article 73(2) of the Constitution. Later, there will be a discussion over a thanksgiving motion on the President’s speech in the House during the session. Read more: Parliament’s winter session begins on January 5 The House went into the session after a recess of 59 days as the 20th session of the current parliament was prorogued on November 06 last. On December 19, the President convened the 21st session, exercising the power bestowed upon him as per the Clause (1) of Article 72 of the constitution.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and her British counterpart Sir Lindsay Hoyle have agreed to strengthen institutional collaboration between Bangladesh and the British parliaments specially on climate change, women empowerment, justice for the Rohingyas, and role of parliament across the Commonwealth. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the British Parliament since 2019, congratulated Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the climate leadership at the COP26 and being among the strongest voices to combat global warming and climate change. They held a bilateral meeting at the Westminster ‘Speaker’s House’ on Monday morning. Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem was present during the meeting. While paying profound tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Dr Chaudhury informed the British Speaker that it was Bangabandhu’s value-based friendship with the-then British politicians that would continue to remain a fundamental tenet and cornerstone of the robust and ever expanding Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations of 2022 and beyond. She proposed to form a ‘Bangladesh-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group’, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries to work together for promoting shared values of democracy, peace, and progress inclusive societies, according to the Bangladesh High Commission in London. Read: UN resident coordinator Gwyn Lewis meets Speaker Dr Shirin The British Speaker expressed gratitude to Bangladesh for sheltering and protecting 1.1 million Rohingyas fleeing from Myanmar. The Bangladesh Speaker called on the British Parliament to play a leading role in resolving the Rohingya crisis towards a sustained return. Sir Hoyle recalled Bangladesh Speaker’s successful tenure as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and praised her skilful leadership to promote women empowerment across the CPA. The British Speaker praised the four British-Bangladeshi parliamentarians for their contribution to British society and acknowledged the entrepreneurship of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK. Both the Speakers emphasized the increased role of parliamentarians in different international forums, including the Commonwealth. Sir Hoyle proposed to host an event at the British Parliament in honour of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on the occasion of 50 years of Bangladesh-UK friendship. Dr Chaudhury invited Speaker Hoyle to visit Bangladesh at the earliest opportunity, especially during the historic 50 years of Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Tuesday said the entire country has got the touch of development thanks to the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The development activities were not halted for a single moment even during the Covid-19 pandemic, she said. The Speaker was addressing a function at her parliamentary constituency --Rangpur-6 (Pirganj), said a press release. As part of the development spree, different development activities continue in every union of Pirganj upazila, she said. In the event held on the premises of noted poet Kazi Hayat Mamud's Mazar, 100 bicycles, 22 sewing machines, 20 wheelchairs and 20 spray machines were distributed among the beneficiaries of Chaitrakol and Vendabari unions. Read: Bangladesh enjoying a golden age of information flow: Speaker Pirganj Upazila Awami League acting president Prof Nurul Amin Raja presided over the function moderated by Pirganj Upazila AL general secretary and Pirganj Municipality Mayor ASM Tajimul Islam Shamim. Dr Chaudhury said work on a master plan is underway to make Pirganj a model upazila. She later exchanged views with local AL leaders at the Upazila Parishad Auditorium.

The 17th session of 11th Parliament was prorogued on Wednesday after eight sittings. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury read out the prorogation order of the President in the afternoon. Earlier, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered the valedictory speech. Also read:JS thanks PM for making 'Joy Bangla' the national slogan Nine bills were passed in this session apart from placing a private bill. Besides, the JS thanks PM for making 'Joy Bangla' the national slogan. The House unanimously adopted the congratulatory motion by a voice vote following the general discussion, which was joined by MPs from both treasury and opposition benches. Treasury bench lawmaker Shajahan Khan (Madaripur-2) placed the motion in the House under the section-147 of the rules of procedure. During the session that began on March 28, 35 questions were received for the prime minister to respond. She replied to 17 questions. Also read: Govt intervention has tamed the prices of essentials, Hasina tells JS The session received 857 questions for different ministers and they replied to 563 questions.

The two-day “World Peace Conference-2021” has come to an end with an art exhibition and Pitha Utsab, giving the participants both from home and abroad an opportunity to taste a variety of pitha (cake) before heading home. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury inaugurated the art exhibition and “Pitha Utsab” by cutting a ribbon at the Foreign Service Academy on Sunday evening. Read: Dhaka Declaration: Democracy, good governance, rule of law critical for peace, stability Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, leaders of the Foreign Office Spouses’ Association (FOSA), including its chief patron Selina Momen (wife of Dr Momen) and patron Ayesha Akhtar, wife of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, were, among others, present.

The 15th session of 11th Parliament was prorogued on Sunday after nine sittings. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury read out the prorogation order of the President in the afternoon. Earlier, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered the valedictory speech. Read: Bangladesh’s Golden Jubilee of Independence: PM seeks general discussion in Parliament Nine bills were passed in this session that saw nine sittings. Besides, a special discussion was held in this session marking the 50 years of the country’s Independence. Sheikh Hasina placed the proposal for holding the general discussion on the Golden Jubilee of Independence, which was adopted unanimously after 59 MPs spoke for 10 hours and 45 minutes joining the discussion. Earlier, President Md Abdul Hamid delivered a commemorative speech in the session on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Independence. During the session that began on November 14 last, 42 notices were placed under Section 71 of the Rules of Procedures. Read: Cabinet approves President’s draft speech to be delivered in Parliament Forty-one 41 questions were received for the Prime Minister to respond. She replied to 10 questions. The session received 1,012 questions for different ministers and they replied to 566 questions.

A five-member panel of chairmen was nominated by Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury for the 13th session (budget session) of the 11th Parliament on Wednesday. Read: Parliament’s budget session set to begin Wednesday The panel members are Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker (Naogaon-2), AB Tajul Islam (Brahmanbaria-6), Md Mazaharul Hoque Prodhan (Panchagarh-1), Anisul Islam Mahmud (Chattogram-5) and Rumana Ali (Women Seat-14). The Speaker announced their names at the beginning of the day's business . Read: Parliament gets Tk 336.14cr budget for next fiscal year They will conduct the proceedings of Parliament in chronological order in absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.  

Parliament on Thursday unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound grief at the demise of a sitting MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury and some noted personalities. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the condolence motion in the House in the beginning of the 12th session of the 11th Parliament. As per the tradition, the day’s business of Parliament was adjourned after the adaptation of the condolence over the death of sitting Awami League MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury, who was elected from Sylhet-3 constituency, in order to pay respect to him. Samad Chowdhury, 66, died of Covid-19 in a city hospital on March 12 last. Besides, the House expressed deep shock at the death of PM’s political adviser Hossain Toufique Imam (HT Imam), former Prime Minister Moudud Ahmed (Six-time MP from Noakhali-5 and Bogura-7), former state minister Mohammad Aman Ullah (four-time MP from Mymensingh-11) and three other former MPs. Also read: JS adopts condolence motion at deaths of ex-MPs, noted personalities The three other ex-MPs are Toabur Rahim (ex-member of Ganoparishad and also member of 1st parliament from the then Sylhet-14), Abdul Majid Mandal (MP in 10th Parliament from Siranganj-5) and Monsur Ahmed (two-time MP from Satkhira-4). Parliament also expressed deep shock at the death of noted personalities, including Editor of the daily Janakantha and freedom fighter Atikullah Khan Masud, Chairman of Sikder Group of Industries Zainul Haque Sikder (who is also the father of Parveen Haque Sikder), Language Movement veteran Ali Taher Majumdar, noted columnist and journalist Syed Abul Maksud, senior journalist and former president of Projonmo-71 Shahin Reza Noor, Awami League’s advisory council member Abul Hasnat and former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled. Besides, the House expressed profound grief at the death of those who lost being affected the coronavirus in home and abroad, the 17 people of Pirganj who were killed in the recent road accident at Katakhali in Rajshahi, and the lives lost in accidents in other places at home and abroad. A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered seeking the eternal peace to the departed soul. Deputy Speaker Md Fazle Rabbi Miah conducted the munajat. Before passing the condolence motion, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a number of MPs took part in discussions. Also read: JS adopts condolence motion on MP Ismat Ara Sadique’s death The Prime Minister said Samad Chowdhury was a good organiser and politically a very conscious man.   She said Samad got involved with Chhatra League in his student life and he always was engaged in the Awami League’s politics. “He had a great interest in working for people,” she said, adding that the politics of Sylhet has incurred a huge loss with his death. Besides, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan (Panchagarh-2), Opposition chief whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga (Rangpur-1), Awami League MPs Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim (Gopalganj-2), Muhammad Faruk Khan (Gopalganj-1), Nurul Islam Nahid (Sylhet-6), Md Abdus Shahid (Maulvibazar-4), Nesar Ahmed (Maulvibazar-3) and Enamul Haque (Rajshahi-4), Jatiya Party MP Pir Fazlur Rahman (Sunamganj-4) and BNP MP Md Harunur Rashid (Chapainawabganj-3) also joined the discussion.

The 12th session of Parliament began on Thursday after a 58-day recess.  The session began at 11:00am with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. The House went into the session to meet the Constitutional obligation amid the fresh surge of the Covid-19 infection in Bangladesh. At the outset of the session, the Speaker nominated a five-member panel of chairmen. The panel members are Md Abdul Quddus (Natore-4), Mrinal Kanti Das (Munshiganj-3), Md Nazrul Islam Babu (Narayanganj-2), Md Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj-3) and Shahadara Mannan (Bogura-1). Also read:JS session goes into session on Jan 18 They will conduct the proceedings of Parliament in chronological order in absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. The 12th session of the 11th Parliament will continue for a short period of time due to the growing transmission of Coronavirus. On March 15 last, President Abdul Hamid summoned the session. According to the Constitution, a period exceeding 60 days shall not intervene between the end of one session and the first sitting of Parliament in the next session.  Also read: Parliament goes into winter session Monday The 11th session (the first session in 2021) was prorogued on February 2 last and the House passed six bills during the previous session.  

Six Parliamentary Standing Committees were reconstituted on Wednesday.