Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed on Monday expressed concerns about the failure of ministers and lawmakers to attend the session on time.

Monday’s sitting began at about 3:05pm, five minutes later than the scheduled time, and proceeded with the question-and-answer session.

On Sunday, the JS sitting lost at least 10 minutes to delays and absences of ministers and lawmakers.

On Monday, subsequent business under Rule 71 could not be properly taken up as the ministers concerned and lawmakers were absent when the notices were called.

Under Rule 71 of the parliamentary procedure, lawmakers may, with the speaker’s permission, draw a minister’s attention to urgent public matters.

On Monday, three such notices, addressed to home minister Salahuddin Ahmed, road transport and bridges minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam and disaster management and relief minister Asadul Habib Dulu, were scheduled for discussion.

The first notice, submitted by the ruling party lawmaker Zainul Abdin Farroque to the home minister, was taken up first.

However, speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told the parliament that the minister was not present and asked the lawmaker to wait, adding that the minister would arrive shortly.

As the scheduled business stalled, the speaker expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of ministers during important parliamentary proceedings, saying that no issue should be considered more important than the functioning of the JS.

He said that lawmakers raised constituency-related issues, which required ministers’ attention.

Members of the opposition supported the speaker’s remarks by thumping desks.

In response, chief whip Nurul Islam Moni told the House that the absent ministers were accompanying the prime minister on an official visit.

He said that about 40 ministers were present in the House, mostly seated in the second and third rows, and assured the speaker that their concerns would be communicated to the absent ministers.

The chief whip further said that when the prime minister remained present in the JS, members tended to show greater interest in speaking, but when he was absent, participation often declined.

He also said that efforts would be made to ensure lawmakers’ speeches reach the prime minister for review.

During the session, the speaker also expressed frustration over inconsistencies in the list of lawmakers scheduled to speak in parliament, pointing out discrepancies

between printed and handwritten versions of the list and noting that the listed lawmakers were often found unavailable when called.

In reply, the chief whip said that such list had been prepared after consultations with whips and members, and that most lawmakers were aware of their schedules.

Earlier, the speaker had also attempted to proceed with urgent notices under Rule 71, but proceedings were repeatedly delayed due to the absence of ministers, eventually leading to the postponement of disposal of the notices.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mahbubur Rahman separately raised a point of order, expressing concern over delays in parliamentary sittings, saying that proceedings had started late on previous occasions and urging improved punctuality among members.

In response, the speaker urged lawmakers to strictly adhere to scheduled times for future sittings to ensure smooth functioning of the House.