Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday entered the parliament chamber shortly before the first session of the 12th national parliament began at 3pm.
The members of the parliament (MP) exchanged greetings with the prime minister. Two MPs from the Jatiya Party (JaPa) were also seen saluting the premier. At that time, Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman and former army officer Syed Muhammad Ibrahim stood in front of the PM and gave her a salute.
Several MPs were seen touching the feet of the PM and seeking her blessings.
The ruling Awami League, which won 223 seats in the January 7 election, formed the government for the fourth consecutive term. The JaPa became the opposition in parliament, winning 11 seats while independents won 62 seats. Two other parties—the Bangladesh Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal—got one seat each.
Following the election, the MPs took oaths on January 10, and the cabinet members were sworn in on January 11.
Those who sat in the first row
Parliament leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was seen sitting on the first seat of the government bench (to the right of the speaker) as usual. The next seat was vacant. Next to the vacant seat were Deputy Leader of Parliament Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Salim, Amir Hossain Amu, AKM Mozammel Haque, Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Obaidul Quader, and Tofail Ahmed.
Opposition leader GM Quader sat in the first seat of the opposition bench (to the left of the speaker). Anisul Islam Mahmud, the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, sat on his left.
