Dhaka: Speaker of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram and Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal today paid rich tributes to Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia by placing wreaths at their graves at Sher-e-Banglanagar here. The ceremony began with the newly elected Speaker paying his respects at the gravesites, followed by the Deputy Speaker.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, to honor the memory of the late leaders, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker observed a few moments of solemn silence. They subsequently participated in special prayers, seeking the eternal peace of the departed souls.
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram stated that the nation has reached a historic moment following the restoration of the democratic system through a long struggle. In his tribute, the Speaker recalled Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman as the proclaimer of independence under whose leadership the nation was freed from enemies through participation in the frontline war. He also lauded Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia as the leader who made sacrifices to reinstate parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh.
Referring to the political landscape following the 13th National Parliament election, the Speaker noted that the prudent people of Bangladesh have granted a two-thirds majority to the BNP, a mandate that he believes will pave the way for democracy. Highlighting his commitment to impartiality in legislative proceedings, the Speaker announced that both he and the Deputy Speaker have resigned from their respective party positions. He emphasized that this decision was made to ensure the neutrality of the chair and to guarantee that both the Treasury and Opposition benches receive equal opportunities within the House.
The ceremony was also attended by the Additional Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, the Sergeant-at-Arms, other relevant officers and employees of the Parliament Secretariat, and members of various media outlets.