Parliament Correspondent | Dhaka
The 13th National Parliament commenced its historic journey on Thursday (March 12), marking the formal restoration of the democratic process following a mass uprising. In a high-profile ceremony, Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was sworn in as the Speaker, while Kayser Kamal took the oath as the Deputy Speaker of the House.
The Swearing-In Ceremony President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oaths of office at the President’s Chamber within the National Parliament shortly after 12:00 PM.
Speaker: Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was the first to be sworn in.
Deputy Speaker: He was followed by Kayser Kamal.
The first session of the 13th Parliament—also the first session of 2026—began earlier at 11:00 AM, initially presided over by Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
PM Tarique Rahman’s Maiden Speech Following the tradition of the majority party (BNP), Prime Minister Tarique Rahman delivered the welcome address at the onset of the session. In an emotional speech, the Prime Minister expressed his profound gratitude to those who sacrificed and participated in the mass uprising that led to the current political transition.
“Today marks the beginning of the long-cherished journey of democracy in our country,” the Prime Minister declared, emphasizing a commitment to transparent and accountable governance.
