Dhaka: BNP Standing Committee Member and Dhaka-8 MP Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, widely referred to as Mirza Abbas, attended a session of the 13th Parliament for the first time on Thursday. He made his entry into the Parliament chamber in a wheelchair shortly after 3:50pm.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad welcomed him by saying, "Honourable Member of Parliament Mirza Abbas Uddin has joined Parliament after five months. We welcome him." Following the Speaker's remarks, lawmakers greeted Mirza Abbas with desk thumping as a gesture of welcome.
Mirza Abbas had earlier resumed his official duties at his office in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after returning from over five months of medical treatment abroad. The BNP leader arrived back in Bangladesh on Wednesday night after receiving treatment in Singapore and Malaysia.
His return was marked by the presence of thousands of BNP leaders and activists at the airport, who gathered to welcome him after his extended stay abroad. Supporters from the Dhaka-8 constituency and its affiliated organisations were notably present to greet him.
In the 13th parliamentary elections on February 12, Mirza Abbas was elected as the MP for the Dhaka-8 constituency on a BNP ticket. He was subsequently appointed as the prime minister's adviser on political affairs. His health issues began when he suddenly lost consciousness on March 11, just a day before the 13th Parliament's first session. He was initially admitted to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka and later underwent brain surgery. On March 15, he was transported to Singapore for further treatment and subsequently to Malaysia for physiotherapy.