Parliament started its autumn session yesterday with an obituary reference and condolence for Sirajganj 3 lawmaker Ishaq Hossain Talukder.
The three-time parliamentarian from the Awami League died on October 6. According to practice, all regular activities of the day were adjourned after the condolence motion.
The fourth session started at 4:05pm with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. Before that the Business Advisory Committee of parliament decided that the session would run until November 30, except Fridays and Saturdays.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad attended the committee meeting, which also decided that the speaker would have the authority to bring changes to this end.
They also decided to hold a thanksgiving motion for Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury for being elected executive chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Saber Hossain Chowdhury for becoming the president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Attending the condolence discussion, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said: “Ishaq is that rare kind of person who never came to me for his own demands; his only concern was the development of his area. “If the country has more of this kind of selfless leaders, community development will be easy.”
Ishaq Hossain Talukder was first elected an MP in 1986 and then in 2008 and 2014.
Deputy Speaker M Fazle Rabbi Miah, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmad, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim, Chief Whip ASM Feroz, Whip M Shahabuddin, treasury bench members Mohibur Rahman Manik, Habibe Millat, Nurul Islam Sujan and Selina Begum, and opposition party member Kazi Feroz Rashid joined the obituary reference discussions.
Sources said a total of 10 bills, including two new ones, had so far been submitted at the law section of the Parliament Secretariat for the fourth session of the 10th parliament.
At the outset of the first sitting of the fourth session, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury nominated Habibur Rahman Mollah, Dr Afsarul Amin, Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury, Nurul Islam Milon and Begum Aktar Jahan for a five-member chairmen panel.