From president to whips: Names for key parliamentary positions make rounds
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has already convened the first session of the 13th National Parliament to be held at 11am on 12 March, by exercising the powers vested in him under Article 72(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh
Riding on its two-thirds parliamentary majority, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is turning its focus to the country's top parliamentary positions, including the president, speaker, deputy speaker, deputy leader, chief whip, and whips.
Members of Parliament took their oaths on 17 February, five days after the 12 February elections.
Soon after, BNP and its allies elected Tarique Rahman as parliamentary leader and Prime Minister.
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By law, a parliamentary session must be convened within 30 days of the publication of election results in the official gazette.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has already convened the first session of the 13th National Parliament to be held at 11am on 12 March, by exercising the powers vested in him under Article 72(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh.
The session will be marked by elections for speaker and deputy speaker, presentation of ordinances issued by the interim government, condolence motions, and the president's address on the agenda.
Speaker and deputy speaker contenders
Several MPs are said to be running for speaker, with BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan emerging as the frontrunner, according to party sources.
For deputy speaker, potential candidates include Andaleeve Rahman Partha, Chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), and Muhammad Osman Faruque of Kishoreganj-3.
BNP's manifesto stipulates that one of the two deputy speakers should come from the opposition. In line with this, a Jamaat MP may be considered, with Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher among the likely choices.
Deputy leader, chief whip, and whips
Gayeshwar Chandra Roy is being considered for deputy leader of the House, while discussion for the chief whip post is focused on Zainul Abdin Farroque, with Nurul Islam Moni and Barkat Ullah Bulu also in contention.
The number of whips will depend on the party's size and parliamentary needs. Potential candidates include Air Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Aman Ullah Aman, Md Fazlur Rahman, Zainal Abedin, Nurul Islam Moni, Ahmed Azam Khan, ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan, Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu, Reza Kibria, and Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.
Will the president stay?
Some BNP leaders appear inclined to retain President Md Sahabuddin, as the party has not yet decided on a new presidential election.
A party source said political considerations could keep the incumbent in office for his full term, though the exact duration is unclear.
The president's approval will also be needed on key issues, including the July Charter, the legitimacy of the interim government, and rulings involving the Awami League. With these matters pending, the ruling BNP may opt against replacing him.
Md Sahabuddin's term runs until 2028.
In a recent interview, he said, "If they (BNP) want me to stay, I will. If they suggest that I step down, I will do so respectfully."
Discussions about the next president include BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, currently minister for Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives.
Conducting the first session
According to the Constitution, even after a general election, the outgoing speaker and deputy speaker continue to hold office until their successors are elected. Questions have now been arising over how the first parliamentary session will be conducted following the resignation of the speaker and the detention of the deputy speaker after the mass uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina's government.
Article 74 of the Constitution says that after a general election, parliament must elect a speaker and a deputy speaker at its first meeting. If either position is vacant, an election must be held within seven days, or, if parliament is not in session at that time, at the very next session.
The constitution further stipulates that if the speaker's position is vacant, the deputy speaker presides. If the deputy speaker is also vacant or unable to perform duties, another MP assumes responsibility.
The rules of procedure also allow the president to nominate someone to conduct the first session. In practice, senior members can be chosen to preside by agreement, as happened in 1973, but the simplest solution is to elect a new Speaker at the session's start, legal experts say
