The BNP has offered the post of deputy speaker to the opposition ahead of the first sitting of the newly elected parliament, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said yesterday.

“We respect the July National Charter and want to begin implementing the political understanding reached through consensus. We have agreed that two deputy speaker posts will be created. One of them will be nominated or elected from the opposition. We are offering that now,” he said while briefing reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat.

Salahuddin said the offer was made as a gesture of goodwill in line with the July charter.

Asked about a reported petition seeking to bar the president from delivering the inaugural address on the first day of the session, he said he had no knowledge of such a petition.

“We have said that for freedom of speech and liberty, we have given our lives. People can speak,” he added.

However, Salahuddin said the constitution, established practice and tradition still require the president to deliver the address on the first day of the first session of a new parliament and at the beginning of the parliamentary year.

If any future constitutional amendment changes the provision, it could be considered then.

On constitutional reform, Salahuddin said members who have taken oath as lawmakers would join the House as MPs, and only they would be entitled to participate in its proceedings.

“There is no provision in the constitution for a Constitutional Reform Council,” he said.

“Those who have taken oath as members of such a council have done so on their own. But they cannot participate in the national parliament in that capacity. Only members of parliament can take part.”

He said discussions on constitutional reform in seminars and public forums were part of political rights and anyone could raise demands.

“But we cannot place anything unconstitutional in the national parliament.”

“If a constitutional amendment is brought and incorporated into the constitution, then all aspects must be specified -- who will take oath as members, who will administer the oath and in what form,” Salahuddin said.

“These are long processes and matters for discussion.”

Salahuddin said he learnt that a petition was moved before the High Court challenging the Constitutional Reform Order 2025, claiming it violated the constitution and was “ultra vires”.

“Let us see what opinion comes from the judiciary. We can take that into discussion in parliament. All such matters will be considered lawfully and constitutionally through parliamentary debate. That is a democratic practice,” he said.

On ordinances promulgated during the interim government, Salahuddin said all 133 ordinances were constitutionally required to be placed in parliament on the first day of the session.

“They will be placed. Which ones will be accepted and which ones will not -- that will be decided through parliamentary discussion,” he added.