The first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad was prorogued on Thursday, with prime minister Tarique Rahman urging lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches to embrace a spirit of unity.
He reminded the lawmakers that any failure by one party would be a failure for the entire nation, stressing, ‘When one of us fails, the entire Bangladesh fails. So let us not enter into a race to make one another fail. Instead, let us work together to make this parliament successful.’
Prime minister reaffirmed the government commitment to build a democratic and prosperous Bangladesh, rooted in the sacrifices of martyrs and the aspirations of the common people.
He stated that the government, elected by the people and accountable to them, considered addressing the people’s problems and improving their life’s quality as its foremost responsibility.
Speaking during the motion of thanks on the president’s speech, the prime minister made his closing remarks with a clear emphasis on the government’s priorities.
He said, ‘This government is accountable to the people, and our main duty is to alleviate the problems faced by the citizens and to raise the standard of their living.’
Tarique highlighted that the whole of Bangladesh was watching the JS proceedings closely, and the hopes and expectations of the people were dependent on the outcomes of these discussions.
‘We have paid tribute to the martyrs on numerous occasions, but mere tribute is not enough. The real goal is to fulfil the aspirations of the people who fought for a society where they can speak freely and secure employment,’ he observed.
The prime minister also commended the opposition’s constructive proposals on issues such as the ongoing energy crisis.
Addressing the concerns of the opposition, Tarique remarked that the government would continue to work for the welfare of the people and for a brighter future for the nation.
He said, ‘From a distance, the chair of the prime minister may seem comfortable, but in reality, it is far from so. The expectations of the people, the weight of solving national problems make this chair even more challenging.’
He continued, ‘If we chase populist decisions, we might receive praise in the short term, but in the long run, the country would suffer. Therefore, I urge the members of the treasury and the opposition benches to focus on making right decisions, not just populist ones.’
The PM expressed his willingness to collaborate with the opposition, stating that the position of deputy speaker was still available to them.
Referring to election pledges, opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman said that both the Jamaat and the BNP made commitments for an independent foreign policy prioritising national interests.
‘We need friendship with all, but our priority must always be Bangladesh,’ he said, adding that Bangladesh needed many friends, but not even a single lord.
The opposition leader also condemned indecent behaviour on social media, targeting the family of the leader of the House and prime minister Tarique Rahman and called for an end to such practices.
He asked the government to curb extortion, improve the law and order and take visible steps to implement the Teesta project soon.
Over the 1972 constitution, Shafiqur said that the denial of voting rights by the Pakistani authorities made the War of Liberation inevitable. But later, the Awami League government violated the limits and strangled the voting rights to death.
Pointing to the treasury bench members, the Jamaat chief said, ‘Our many friends wholeheartedly pay respect towards the 1972 constitution, But I can’t. Because the late president Ziaur Rahman changed the 1972 Constitution.’
In the first JS session, a total of 93 notices of questions were received for the PM’s response.
Of these, 35 questions were answered in the JS. Additionally, a total of 2,509 notices were received for responses from various ministries, with 1,778 questions being answered in the parliament.
The first session, which began on March 12, spanned a total of 25 working days.
During the session, 133 ordinances were presented, and all 94 bills introduced were passed. Seven committees were formed during this period.
Out of the notices received under Rule 62, 16 were submitted, of which two were adopted and discussed.
Under Rule 68, nine notices were received, with one adopted and discussed. Under Rule 71, a total of 1,198 notices were received, with 42 being adopted, and 38 of these were discussed.
In Rule 71(ka), 207 notices were submitted.
Under Rule 164, 14 notices were received, three of which concerned the same issue.
One of these was accepted by the speaker and sent to the permanent committee on special rights. The remaining 11 notices were not accepted by the speaker.
At the conclusion of the session, speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed prorogued the session by reading out the order from the president.
The order stated, ‘In exercise of the powers conferred under Article 72, Clause 1 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, I, Mohammed Shahabuddin, the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, hereby declare the prorogation of the first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on 30th April, 2026.’
