Parliament session enters 2nd day; ministers, MPs engage in Q/A

The session of the Jatiya Sangsad entered its second day today (15 March), beginning at 11am with a recitation from the Holy Quran. The maiden sitting of the 13th parliament had earlier commenced on 12 March.

The second day of the ongoing session of the Jatiya Sangsad is expected to see debates, particularly over the formation and functioning of a Constitution Reform Council, which was envisioned under the July National Charter.

Till noon, ministers who responded during the question-and-answer session included Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher, State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, and Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon.

The question-and-answer session concluded during the second day of the first sitting of the parliament after the scheduled one-hour period, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed announcing the end of the segment.

Following this, the House moved to the agenda item on raising matters of urgent public importance under Rule 71. The Speaker said the parliament had received 29 notices on issues of urgent public importance for discussion.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman proposed in the House that 133 ordinances be sent to the special parliamentary committee for scrutiny. He said the committee, formed during the first session of parliament, had been asked to examine the ordinances and submit its report by 2 April.

The proposal was later adopted by the House through a "yes" vote.

Earlier yesterday (14 March), speaking to reporters after a meeting of the parliamentary Business Advisory Committee, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the issue could be discussed in parliament.

He noted that after Sunday's sitting, the current parliamentary session would be adjourned for the Eid holidays and would reconvene on 29 March.

"The session will continue throughout April," he said.

Salahuddin Ahmed also said that ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government would be sent to a special parliamentary committee.

"They will be reviewed by the special committee and later placed in parliament in the form of reports," he added.

Meanwhile, the second day of the session today is likely to witness a political debate, as the opposition is considering raising the issue of forming a constitution reform council during an unscheduled discussion in the House.