With the first sitting of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad set for March 12 at 11am, a quiet but pressing question is stirring political circles: who will preside over the House when it convenes for the very first time?
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has summoned the session, according to a notice issued by the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat. But unlike previous transitions, this time the chair is vacant.
No speaker, no deputy speaker
Traditionally, the inaugural sitting of a new parliament begins under the outgoing Speaker or Deputy Speaker. After that, the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected.
That convention faces a break this year.
Former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury stepped down in September 2024 following the fall of the previous government. The then Deputy Speaker, Shamsul Haque Tuku, is currently in jail in connection with a murder case.
With both posts effectively vacant, the opening hour of the new House has become a matter of constitutional choreography.
What the rules say
Under parliamentary procedure, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected in the first meeting. At least one hour before the scheduled election, any MP can submit a written proposal to the Parliament Secretary nominating a candidate for Speaker. The proposal must be seconded by another member, and the nominee must give written consent.
No one can propose or second their own name. Nor can anyone preside over their own election.
Election experts say there is a clear fallback option. A member nominated by the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, may chair the session until a Speaker is elected. Some former officials suggest that the most senior MP could be asked to take the chair temporarily.
Responding to a question about who will chair the first session, former Additional Secretary of the Election Commission, Jasmine Tuli, said, “A senior member of the parliament can be appointed as the presiding officer. This is stipulated in the rules of procedure.”
Parliament Secretariat Secretary Kaniz Maula has remained tight-lipped. “You will see it on TV when the time comes,” she told reporters.
Numbers shape the outcome
The balance of power inside the chamber also matters.
According to results announced by the Bangladesh Election Commission, BNP and its allies have secured 211 seats out of 297 declared. As a single party, BNP holds 208 seats. The 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami won 77 seats, while others, including independents, secured the rest.
With the largest bloc in the House, BNP is expected to play the decisive role in electing the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Among the names circulating for Speaker are BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moin Khan, Advocate Zainul Abedin, and former minister Dr M Osman Faruk. For Deputy Speaker, discussions include ABM Ashraf Uddin Nijan, Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho, and Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon.
A symbolic first gavel
Beyond procedure, the first gavel of a new parliament carries weight. It signals not just the start of a legislative term, but also the tone of political transition.
Once elected, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will take an oath from the President, usually at his office within the Jatiya Sangsad complex. The newly sworn-in Speaker then formally takes over proceedings, including overseeing the election of the Deputy Speaker if required.
Until that moment, all eyes remain on one question: when the 13th Jatiya Sangsad meets for the first time, who will occupy the chair and call the House to order?