The 12th session of the 11th parliament began on Thursday after a 58-day recess.
The session began at 11am with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
The House went into the session to meet the constitutional obligation amid the fresh surge of the Covid-19 infection in Bangladesh.
At the outset of the session, the speaker nominated a five-member panel of chairmen.
The panel members are Md Abdul Quddus (Natore 4), Mrinal Kanti Das (Munshiganj 3), Md Nazrul Islam Babu (Narayanganj 2), Md Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj 3) and Shahadara Mannan (Bogra 1).
They will conduct the proceedings of parliament in chronological order in absence of the speaker and the deputy speaker.
The 12th session will continue for a short period of time due to the growing transmission of the coronavirus.
On March 15, President Md Abdul Hamid had summoned the session.
According to the constitution, a period exceeding 60 days shall not intervene between the end of one session and the first sitting of parliament in the next session.
The 11th session - the first session in 2021 - was prorogued on February 2 and the House passed six bills during the previous session.
Condolence motion
Taking part in the discussion on a condolence motion over the death of an MP and some noted personalities, Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina on Thursday expressed shock and sorrow and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved families.
She described late MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury and her late political adviser HT Imam as politically conscious persons and recalled their contributions to nation building activities.
On Mahmud, she said that he was elected lawmaker in every national election with a huge margin from his constituency as he was keen to work for the people, adding: “Sylhet has been affected politically at his demise.”
About Imam, the prime minister said that he was a cabinet secretary since the emergence of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in 1975 and was a politically conscious person.
She said that Imam has written two books on the measures taken by then governments at the request of mine.
She also recalled the contribution of former state minister Mohammad Aman Ullah (four-time MP from Mymensingh 11), Monsur Ahmed (two-time MP from Satkhira 4) and Abdul Majid Mandal (MP in 10th Parliament from Sirajganj 5).
She said Monsur, who was president of Awami League's Satkhira District Unit, was brutally tortured by the government of Ziaur Rahman.
Regarding Barrister Moudud Ahmed (six-time MP from Noakhali 5 and Bogura 7), the premier said that Moudud had talent, if it was used for the welfare of the people, it could have been better.
She also said that Moudud had never been appointed as a lawyer in the Agartola Conspiracy Case though he had claimed so.
On the death of Bengali daily Janakantha editor Mohammad Atikullah Khan Masud, the prime minister said: “It will be injustice to say nothing about Atikullah Khan Masud.”
She said that Atikullah had, at his own initiative, taken a brave role in collecting information regarding inhuman tortures of Awami League leaders and workers by the BNP after it assumed office through the 2001 farcical election though many newspapers dared not to do it at that time.
“It’s a matter of regret that the journalist community has lost a brave person and a good warrior at his demise,” she opined.
On death of chairman of Sikder Group of Industries Zainul Haque Sikder, also father of reserved seat Awami League MP Parveen Haque Sikder, Hasina said that he was not only a freedom fighter but also a person who gave all sorts of supports to the pro-liberation people.
The parliament unanimously adopted a condolence motion in the morning.
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the condolence motion in the House at the beginning of the 12th session of the 11th Parliament.
As per the tradition, the day’s business of parliament was adjourned after the adaptation of the condolence over the death of sitting Awami League MP Mahmud, who was elected from Sylhet 3 constituency, in order to pay respect to him.
A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat was offered seeking eternal peace of the departed soul. Deputy Speaker Md Fazle Rabbi Miah conducted the munajat.
