Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, MP for Bhola-3, has been elected Speaker of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament, while Barrister Kaiser Kamal, MP for Netrokona-1, has been chosen as Deputy Speaker. Both were elected unanimously through a voice vote during the first session of the new parliament held under the chairmanship of Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, a senior BNP leader and member of the party’s standing committee.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam proposed Hafiz Uddin’s name for Speaker, supported by MP Rokibul Islam of Khulna-3. Government Whip Ruhul Quddus Talukder proposed Kaiser Kamal for Deputy Speaker, seconded by Whip Ashraf Uddin Nizan. Before his election, Hafiz Uddin resigned from his post as Minister for Liberation War Affairs. Following the election, the parliamentary session was adjourned for half an hour for the oath-taking ceremony.

The session began under an exceptional arrangement since the previous Speaker, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, resigned in September 2024, and former Deputy Speaker Shamsul Haque (Tuku) is in custody. The parliament leader, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, nominated Dr. Mosharraf Hossain to preside over the opening session, a proposal supported by senior ministers and opposition leaders.