President Md. Shahabuddin declared that Bangladesh was freed from fascism through the July–August 2024 student and mass uprising, calling it a turning point in the nation’s democratic history. Speaking at the opening session of the 13th National Parliament on Thursday, he said the movement, which began as a quota reform protest, evolved into a nationwide anti-fascist struggle that led to the fall of the former regime on August 5, 2024. Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout before his speech began.

The President congratulated all political parties for participating in what he described as a peaceful, free, and fair election that formed the 13th Parliament. He noted that the BNP and its allies, led by Tarique Rahman, won more than two-thirds of the seats. He honored the sacrifices of those killed and injured during the uprising and detailed government initiatives for their treatment, rehabilitation, and commemoration, including memorials, museums, and national observances.

He also reported that Bangladesh’s economy showed signs of stabilization in fiscal year 2024–25, with GDP growth at 3.49 percent and inflation declining to 8.58 percent in January 2026.

During the first session of the 13th National Parliament held on Thursday, March 12, 2026, the opposition party expressed support for the proposal to appoint Dr. Khondaker Mosharraf Hossain, a respected figure, as Speaker of Parliament. The proposal was made by Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman, who also delivered the opening address, expressing gratitude to those involved in the recent mass uprising.

Government lawmaker Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir supported the proposal, which was also endorsed by opposition deputy leader Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher. However, Taher noted in his remarks that the ruling party could have consulted the opposition before nominating the Speaker. The session took place at the National Parliament Building in Dhaka.

The event marked the formal beginning of parliamentary politics under the new assembly, with both government and opposition members emphasizing cooperation and respect for parliamentary norms.

An unprecedented incident occurred in Bangladesh’s National Parliament when President Md. Shahabuddin entered the chamber to deliver his scheduled speech. As soon as he arrived, lawmakers from the opposition parties Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens Party (NCP) stood up and began protesting, displaying placards reading 'July’s traitor'. The protest took place on Thursday, March 12, 2026, shortly after the parliamentary session began.

Despite the commotion, the President proceeded toward the dais to deliver his address. However, the opposition MPs from the Jamaat alliance continued their uproar during his speech. After the President began speaking, the protesting members staged a walkout from the session.

The event marked a rare disruption during a presidential address in Parliament, highlighting heightened political tensions within the ongoing session.

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), Member of Parliament, and opposition chief whip, called on the 13th National Parliament to ensure that no fascist or their associates are allowed to speak and tarnish the dignity of the house. He made the appeal on Thursday, March 12, during the first session of the 13th parliament, emphasizing that all members are soldiers in the fight against fascism and that the parliament should remain free from fascist influence.

Earlier in the same session, Nahid Islam proposed including the names of several martyrs, including Inquilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, BUET student Abrar Fahad, and border victim Felani Khatun, in a condolence motion. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed confirmed that the names would be added to the motion.

The statements and proposals came as part of the opening proceedings of the new parliamentary term, reflecting the opposition’s focus on honoring victims of past movements and maintaining a fascism-free legislature.

Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout from Bangladesh’s Jatiya Sangsad on the first day of the session as President Md. Shahabuddin began his address. The protest began when the president’s entry was announced, with opposition members standing up and displaying red cards bearing the slogan “জুলাইয়ের সাথে গাদ্দারি চলবে না.” As the national anthem played, ruling party members stood, but some Jamaat-e-Islami MPs remained seated despite requests from ministers and parliamentary officials to rise.

When the president started his speech, opposition members shouted slogans and eventually left the chamber in protest. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed urged them to remain silent, reminding the house that the president’s address was a constitutional obligation and part of parliamentary tradition. The incident marked a tense start to the new parliamentary session.

The walkout underscored ongoing political divisions in the legislature, with the opposition using symbolic protest to express discontent during a constitutionally mandated event.

The 13th National Parliament of Bangladesh began its first session on Thursday at 11 a.m., marking the start of a new legislative term. The session opened with a recitation from the Holy Quran, and the Speaker’s seat was left vacant at the beginning. On the first day, the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Anisul Huq is scheduled to present 39 ordinances issued by the interim government for parliamentary approval.

Traditionally, the first session of a new parliament is presided over by the outgoing Speaker or Deputy Speaker until new officeholders are elected. However, this session saw a departure from that practice. Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, MP from Bhola-3, was unanimously elected as Speaker, and Barrister Kaiser Kamal, MP from Netrakona-1, was elected as Deputy Speaker through a voice vote. The first meeting of the parliament was chaired by BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

Following their election, the parliamentary sitting was adjourned for half an hour to allow the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker to take their oaths.

Rangpur-4 Member of Parliament Akhtar Hossain has publicly shared the allocation details of dates gifted by the King of Saudi Arabia. According to information posted on his media cell’s Facebook page at 3:40 a.m. on Wednesday, a total of 30 cartons of dates were allocated for Kaunia and Pirgacha upazilas—18 for Pirgacha and 12 for Kaunia—with each carton containing eight kilograms of dates.

Abdullah Al Mamun, the chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Pirgacha, told Amader Desh that MP Akhtar Hossain instructed the upazila administration to ensure the dates reach orphanages in every union. The distribution process is currently underway under administrative supervision, and a full list of recipient madrasas and orphanages will be made public after completion.

The disclosure follows a similar transparency initiative by Comilla-4 MP Hasnat Abdullah, who earlier presented a report on his first 21 days in office. His move drew widespread praise on social media, prompting citizens to demand comparable openness from their own representatives.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin invited President Md. Shahabuddin to deliver a speech in Parliament on March 12, 2026. During the invitation, opposition lawmakers from Jamaat stood in protest, holding placards with slogans rejecting alleged betrayal related to July and calling for an end to credibility ties with that month. The Speaker urged all members to remain calm amid the demonstration.

Earlier in the day, President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath to the newly elected Speaker and Members of Parliament. The first session of the 13th National Parliament began at 11 a.m., marking a significant start to the new legislative term. At the opening of the session, the Speaker’s chair was kept vacant, and proceedings were initially presided over by BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

The events highlighted both the formal beginning of the new parliamentary session and the visible dissent from opposition members, signaling early tensions within the new legislature.

During the first session of Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliament on March 12, 2026, the ruling party filled both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions from its own members. Despite the government’s earlier call for the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami to nominate a candidate for the Deputy Speaker post, no name was proposed from the opposition side. As a result, the position went to Barrister Kaiser Kamal, the State Minister for Land and Member of Parliament from Netrokona-1, while Liberation War Affairs Minister Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was elected Speaker.

Jamaat had previously announced it would not accept the Deputy Speaker post, accusing the government of disregarding the “July Charter.” Jamaat Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman stated that the charter stipulates one Deputy Speaker should come from the opposition, but his party wanted the entire agreement implemented as a package rather than in parts.

Following the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the parliamentary session was adjourned for 30 minutes by Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, the presiding officer.

The BNP-led government has issued a new circular revising the list of national and international days to be officially observed. Released by the Cabinet Division on March 11, the circular maintains the previous interim government’s decision to cancel several commemorative days introduced during the Hasina administration. These include the observances of March 7, March 17, August 5, August 8, August 15, October 18, November 4, and December 12.

The circular also confirms that August 5 will now be marked as July Uprising Day, commemorating the fall of the Awami League government, while July 16 will be observed as July Martyrs’ Day in memory of a student killed during the 2024 protests in Rangpur. The classification of days remains divided into three categories—A, B, and C—based on national significance and scale of observance. Ministers will participate in major events, and up to 50,000 taka may be allocated for organizing A-category programs.

The directive advises ministries to avoid repetitive or low-priority observances to conserve government time and resources, emphasizing efficiency in official commemorations.

On Thursday, the first day of the 13th National Parliament’s inaugural session, 133 ordinances issued by the previous interim government were presented in the Bangladesh Parliament. According to the day’s agenda published by the Legislative Support Wing of the Parliament Secretariat, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman placed the ordinances under Article 93(2) of the Constitution.

The presentation of these ordinances was carried out as a constitutional requirement, marking a key procedural step at the start of the new parliamentary term. The session also saw the formation of five parliamentary committees, including the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee, as part of the initial organizational activities of the new legislature.

The parliamentary session has been adjourned until Sunday, allowing members time to review the ordinances and prepare for subsequent discussions and legislative actions.

The Speaker of the 13th National Parliament announced the nomination of panel members who will preside over parliamentary sessions in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The announcement was made in Parliament on Thursday, confirming that the member listed first will take the Speaker’s chair when both top officials are unavailable. The nominated members include Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed from Dhaka-8, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy from Dhaka-2, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan from Narsingdi-1, Mohammad Monirul Haque Chowdhury from Cumilla-6, and ATM Azharul Islam from Rangpur-2.

According to the announcement, this nomination is part of the regular parliamentary procedure, ensuring that sessions continue smoothly even when the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are absent. The panel members will preside over meetings in rotation as required.

The nomination followed the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the oath-taking ceremony, marking the formal progression of the first session of the 13th National Parliament.

BNP Secretary General and Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir recited a poem written by poet Al Mahmud about Begum Khaleda Zia in the National Parliament. The recitation took place on Thursday during a discussion on a condolence motion. Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, was presiding as Speaker at the time.

The session marks a continuation of parliamentary proceedings following the political changes that occurred after the 2024 mass uprising, which led to the fall of the Awami League government. The last parliamentary session before that event concluded on July 3, 2024, after the passage of the 2024–25 fiscal year budget. The current session has been adjourned until Sunday.

The event reflects the resumption of parliamentary activities under the new political context, with cultural and commemorative expressions taking place within formal proceedings.

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman has expressed his desire to see the 13th National Parliament become truly meaningful for the country and its people. He made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a congratulatory speech during the first session of the newly formed parliament, which was presided over by newly elected Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

During his address, the Prime Minister pledged full cooperation to the Speaker to ensure the parliament functions effectively. He emphasized that those who have returned to parliament after a long time were elected by the people’s votes, and the government wants to see the legislature operate in a productive and effective manner.

The session was adjourned until Sunday, and five parliamentary committees, including the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee, were formed during the proceedings.

The 13th National Parliament of Bangladesh began its first session under Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, following his election along with Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal. The opening day’s proceedings included the presentation of condolence motions for former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, victims of the July uprising, those killed in the Milestone School and College plane crash, and several other national and international figures. Chief Whip Matiur Rahman Nizami proposed adding the names of Ali Ahsan Mujahid and Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, which the Speaker accepted.

Separate condolence motions were also presented for former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pope Francis, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The session expressed grief over the deaths of 62 former MPs, former President A.Q.M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, and numerous cultural, academic, and civic figures. Another motion honored those killed between 2007 and August 2024 in struggles for democracy and human rights.

The Parliament stated that additional names of distinguished individuals omitted from the list could later be included upon submission to the Secretariat.