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.

An Iran-affiliated hacking group named Handala has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on the US medical technology company Stryker. The group announced on Wednesday that it stole 50 terabytes of data as retaliation for a military strike in Iran. According to AFP, Handala said the operation was carried out in response to an attack on Iran’s Minab School that killed at least 150 people and as a counter to ongoing cyberattacks on Tehran-backed groups. Stryker confirmed that the incident caused a global network disruption in its Microsoft environment but reported no evidence of ransomware or malware, stating that the situation was under control. The group warned Israeli leaders and lobbyists that this marks the beginning of a new chapter in cyber warfare. Handala, named after a Palestinian symbol, has recently claimed attacks on companies in Israel and the Gulf region. Cyber intelligence experts and reports cited in the source describe Handala as one of the most notorious Iran-linked hacking groups, known for data theft and spreading fear and uncertainty.

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.

Imtiaz Ahmad Masum has been promoted to the position of Executive Director at Bangladesh Bank. The central bank confirmed the promotion on March 4, 2026. Before this appointment, he served as a Director at the institution. Masum began his career at Bangladesh Bank in 1999 as an Assistant Director and has since held various key roles across multiple departments. Throughout his career, Masum worked in the Vigilance Sub-Division, Foreign Exchange Inspection and Vigilance Department, Financial Integrity and Customer Services Department, Accounts and Budgeting Department, and Sustainable Finance Department. He also served as a Director for the Investment and Finance Facility–II project and the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit. His most recent posting was as Director of the Barishal office of Bangladesh Bank. Masum holds honors and master’s degrees in Accounting from the University of Dhaka and a professional master’s in Banking and Finance from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. He has participated in international training programs in several countries and received the Bangladesh Bank AML Risking Award (Best Category) in 2021.

The United States has initiated a new trade investigation targeting several major partners, including Bangladesh and India. The move follows a Supreme Court decision last month that struck down a key part of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. US Trade Representative Jamison Greer said the probe, launched under Section 301, aims to assess unfair trade practices and could lead to new tariffs on countries such as China, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico by mid-summer. The investigation also covers Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Switzerland, and Norway, but excludes Canada, the US’s second-largest trading partner. The Supreme Court recently ruled that Trump’s previous global tariffs, imposed last April, were illegal because the president exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The court reaffirmed that only Congress can authorize such extraordinary powers. Following the ruling, Trump reimposed a 10 percent global tariff and threatened to raise it to 15 percent. The new investigation gives his administration leverage to pressure trade partners ahead of upcoming talks with China in Paris and a possible Trump–Xi meeting in Beijing later this month.

President Md. Sahabuddin administered the oath of office to the newly elected Speaker, Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, on March 12, 2026. The ceremony took place at the President’s office in the Parliament complex. Prime Minister Tareq Rahman and other government representatives were present, while no opposition members of parliament were seen at the event. Earlier, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the Member of Parliament from Bhola-3 constituency, was unanimously elected Speaker through a voice vote in the National Parliament. Barrister Kaiser Kamal, representing Netrakona-1, was also unanimously elected as Deputy Speaker. Both positions were filled through consensus among the attending members. The report also mentioned that five parliamentary committees, including the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee, have been formed, and the current parliamentary session has been adjourned until Sunday.

A major surprise marked the opening of Bangladesh’s new parliamentary session on March 12, 2026, when Barrister Kaiser Kamal was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker. The announcement was made by Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who was presiding over the session. Kamal, a young first-time Member of Parliament from Netrakona and a Supreme Court lawyer, had been serving as State Minister for Land in the cabinet of Tarique Rahman. Before Kamal’s election, Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was proposed to chair the opening session in the absence of the outgoing Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Following his introductory remarks, he announced the name of Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, a six-time MP, who was unanimously chosen as the new Speaker. The proposal for Kamal’s name as Deputy Speaker was then put forward and also approved unanimously. The session also saw the formation of five parliamentary committees, including the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee, and was adjourned until Sunday.