Uproar in 13th Parliament: Opposition Stages Walkout During Presidential Address

As Speaker Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed invited President Mohammed Shahabuddin to deliver his constitutional address this Thursday, opposition lawmakers erupted in protest. The situation escalated quickly, leading to a complete boycott of the session by the opposition members as soon as the President began his speech. This confrontation followed days of tension and signals that the inaugural session would be a heated affair.

Although the President was present to fulfill his constitutional obligation, the opposition had been vehemently demanding his impeachment and arrest, leading to their refusal to accept his address. The session, which began at 11 AM, was initially presided over by senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain following a proposal by Leader of the House Tarique Rahman. During this session, Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was unanimously elected as the Speaker, while Barrister Kaiser Kamal took the seat of Deputy Speaker. Following their appointments, Hafiz resigned from his role as the Minister of Liberation War Affairs, and Kamal stepped down as the State Minister for Land.

This year's proceedings marked a departure from parliamentary tradition. Typically, the outgoing Speaker or Deputy Speaker presides over the first session of a new parliament; however, due to the resignation of the former Speaker in September and the incarceration of the former Deputy Speaker, a new presiding method was adopted. Following the February 12 elections, the BNP-led coalition secured 212 seats while the Jamaat alliance won 77. Notably, the current house features a significant wave of fresh leadership, with 219 lawmakers, including Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman, serving their first-ever terms in Parliament.