Dhaka: Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal have voluntarily resigned from all their positions within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to ensure an unbiased approach in their roles overseeing parliamentary proceedings. Their resignations were submitted to BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman following their election as Speaker and Deputy Speaker during the first sitting of the 13th Parliament.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, in his resignation letter, stated his decision to step down from the BNP Standing Committee and relinquish all other party roles to maintain neutrality while performing his parliamentary duties. Similarly, Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal announced his resignation from the party’s Legal Affairs Secretary position, among others, to fulfill his parliamentary obligations impartially.
During the inaugural session of the newly convened parliament, Hafiz Uddin, a veteran with six terms as an MP and a ministerial role in the Liberation War Affairs, was elected as the Speaker. In subsequent proceedings, Kayser Kamal, a first-time MP, was chosen as the Deputy Speaker. Following their elections, a 30-minute recess was called to allow the newly elected officials to be sworn in by President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
The 13th Parliament’s first session commenced at 11:05 am with the Speaker’s chair initially vacant due to the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker from the 12th Parliament. The election of the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker marks a significant step in setting the stage for the parliamentary term.