A condolence motion was adopted at the first sitting of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday, expressing grief over the deaths of 31 former lawmakers, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and several other distinguished national and international personalities.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed moved the motion at the beginning of the session.

The names of six leaders of the Bangladesh Jamaat-  e-Islami and one leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, who had been convicted in war crimes cases related to the 1971 War of Independence, were also included in the motion.

Besides remembering three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia, the House expressed condolences over the deaths of several influential international figures, including former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis, and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The House adopted the condolence motion on 31 former lawmakers, including former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, veteran politician Matia Chowdhury, former deputy leader of parliament KM Shafiullah, retired major general and first chief of army staff Abdullah Al Noman, former minister Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Abdul Karim Khandaker and Ramesh Chandra Sen.

The motion also mentioned the army officers killed during the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny.

Chief whip Nurul Islam later proposed further additions, including the names of Jamaat leaders Matiur Rahman Nizami, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, and BNP leaders Gautam Chakraborty and MA Matin, as well as Mujibur Rahman Manju, Anwarul Hossain Khan, Moshiur Rahman and Air Vice Marshal AK Khandker.

Deputy opposition leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher termed the initial motion ‘one-sided’ and proposed adding the names of Abdus Sobhan, Sheikh Ansar Ali, Riasat Ali, Abdul Khalek Mondol, Hafeza Asma Khatun, Rokeya Ansar, Sultana Razia, Rasheda Khatun, AKM Yusuf, Nazir Ahmed, Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Molla and Mir Quasem Ali.

In response, speaker Hafiz Uddin said that the names would be added to the motion.

He also added several others, including Saleha Khanam, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Kamal Ibne Yusuf and Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu.

During the previous Awami League regime, the International Crimes Tribunals found Jamaat leaders Matiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Abdul Quader Molla, Kamaruzzaman, Mir Quasem Ali and Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, and BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury guilty of crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 War of Independence.

Sayeedi, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, died in prison, while the remaining six were executed between 2012 and 2016.

Opposition whip Nahid Islam also proposed including the names of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, Abrar Fahad and Felani Khatun.

The speaker confirmed that these names would also be added.

The names of July uprising figures such as Abu Sayeed, Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdha, Shahariar Khan Anas, Mehdi Hasan Jewel and Farhan Faiyaz were also included.

Parliament later held discussions on the condolence motion for Khaleda Zia and the July martyrs before it was adopted.

Lawmakers who took part in the discussion on Khaleda Zia included Anindya Islam Amit, Andaleev Rahman Partho, ATM Azharul Islam, Salahuddin Ahmed and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

In the discussion on the July martyrs, speakers included Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Nahid Islam, Zonayed Saki and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury.

Earlier, lawmakers observed a one-minute silence in honour of the deceased.

Religious affairs minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad offered prayers seeking forgiveness for their departed souls.