Dhaka: Senior BNP parliamentarian Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikrom, and Barrister Kayser Kamal were unanimously elected as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament on Thursday.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the election took place at the beginning of the maiden session of the newly formed 13th Parliament. MPs first elected Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, a six-time parliamentarian and Liberation War Affairs Minister in the new cabinet, to the position of Speaker. Following his election, first-time MP Kayser Kamal was chosen as the Deputy Speaker.
Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni proposed the name of Hafiz Uddin Ahmed MP (Bhola-3) for the role of Speaker, with Rakibul Islam MP (Khulna-3) seconding the proposal. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who was temporarily presiding over the House, placed the proposal on vote, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was elected uncontested by a voice vote.
Subsequently, MP M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu (Natore-2) proposed Kayser Kamal MP (Netrakona-1) as the Deputy Speaker candidate, a proposal supported by ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan (Lakshmipur-4). This proposal was also passed by a voice vote in the House.
Following their elections, the session took a 30-minute break to allow the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker to take their oaths, administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin. The session initially commenced at 11:05, with the Speaker’s chair vacant, as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament were unavailable.