The first session of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament began at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The session was convened by President Md. Shahabuddin within the constitutional 30-day limit following the February 12 election, which brought the BNP to power with a two-thirds majority. The Jamaat-e-Islami–led alliance secured 77 seats and became the main opposition. The session opened without a speaker or deputy speaker, as both previous officeholders were unavailable, and a senior member was expected to preside temporarily.

Tensions surfaced before the session between the ruling BNP and the opposition over constitutional reform, the July National Charter implementation, and the deputy speaker’s selection. Disagreement also arose regarding the president’s address to parliament. The opposition hinted it might boycott the address but had not confirmed its stance.

Despite the friction, both sides publicly pledged to make the new parliament effective. The BNP’s chief whip emphasized cooperation and dialogue, while opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman promised constructive criticism and accountability. The government invited the opposition to propose a deputy speaker candidate, but the opposition demanded full implementation of the July reform package instead.