Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has collected nomination paper on Thursday afternoon for the women’s reserved seats for the 10th National Parliament.
“My representative has bought to the nomination paper from Awami League president’s Dhanmondi office on my behalf,” Shirin Sharmin told the Dhaka Tribune.
When asked if she is going to be re-elected as the speaker, she said: “Nothing is confirmed yet.”
According to the parliamentary rules the first job of Shirin Sharmin is to elect a new speaker on January 29,as she has not been elected as a lawmaker. Unless she is elected from a reserved seat or through the by-poll before January 29, she must leave the speaker’s post.
Shirin Sharmin was elected speaker of the ninth parliament on April 30 last year, as her predecessor Abdul Hamid was elected president following the death of Zillur Rahman.
She earned confidence of all parties while running the House. The BNP, which was boycotting the sessions for about a year, returned to the House and cooperated fully with Shirin Sharmin.
Many MPs who opposed her as speaker now want to see her reelected.