Newly elected Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed stated that chanting slogans in Parliament is inappropriate and outside parliamentary tradition. He made the remarks on Friday, March 13, after paying tribute to the martyrs at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar. Ahmed noted that while walkouts are a recognized parliamentary practice, maintaining discipline is essential, and slogan chanting should not occur inside the chamber.

He emphasized that Bangladesh has achieved a democratic Parliament through great sacrifice and expressed hope that lawmakers will work together to fulfill the people’s aspirations. The Speaker also pledged to ensure impartial conduct in parliamentary proceedings, comparing his approach to neutral umpiring in cricket.

Earlier that morning, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal paid homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War, observed a minute of silence, and signed the memorial’s visitor book.