Members of parliament were urged to remain present when called to speak and strictly adhere to their allotted time as the National Parliament entered the final stage of debate on the proposed national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, with constitutional deadlines leaving no room to extend the schedule.
The direction came as Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed concern over the repeated absence of listed speakers when their names were called during the budget discussion.
“There is a list, yet when members are called, they are not present. Please give them an early warning so they remain prepared,” the Speaker told Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, urging him to ensure lawmakers receive advance notice before their turn to speak.
The Speaker also appealed to members to strictly observe their allotted speaking time.
“I humbly request all speakers to finish within the stipulated time. Please keep an eye on the clock,” he said, advising newly elected MPs to begin concluding their remarks when only one minute remained by summarising their key points or raising constituency-specific issues.
Responding to the Speaker, Chief Whip Moni reminded lawmakers that Sunday’s sitting was the final opportunity for members to participate in the budget debate.
He said Monday morning’s sitting would feature speeches by the leader of the house, the leader of the opposition and the finance minister, followed by the passage of the Finance Bill in the afternoon.
Moni also stressed that the Appropriation Bill must be passed before Maghrib on June 30 to comply with constitutional requirements and allow sufficient time for presidential assent before midnight.
“There is no scope for extending the schedule. Everyone must finish their speeches today,” he said, urging lawmakers to cooperate by completing their speeches within the prescribed time so that the National Parliament could conclude all budget-related business as scheduled.
The proposed budget for FY2026-27 is expected to be approved on Monday, completing the parliamentary process before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
