Speaker elected

The newly elected ninth parliament began its crucial journey today electing Advocate Abdul Hamid Speaker and Col (retd) Shawkat Ali Deputy Speaker to preside over the House that has to transact massive lawmaking business.

Chief Whip Abdus Shahid proposed the name of Abdul Hamid for the post of speaker, which was seconded by Segupta Yasmin.

Deputy Speaker’s candidature was proposed by SM Firoz and seconded by Mojibul Huq.

Outgoing Speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar conducted the elections just after the maiden session got off to a formal starting.

Both the speaker and the deputy speaker were elected by voice vote since there were no other candidates for the two posts.

Abdul Hamid, elected Member of the Parliament (MP) from Kishoregnaj-2 constituency, had the experience to serve as speaker of the 7th parliament after the death of speaker Humayun Rashid Chowdhury.

Members of Treasury and Opposition benches greeted the newly elected speaker and the deputy speaker by thumbing desks, marking a harmonious start of the newfound democracy after the lapse of over two years under emergency rule that had put all of the politicians in the ruling elite circles into abject ordeals under a clean-up drive.

Leader of the House Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina entered the chamber at 3:05pm and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia got in at 3:20pm after the outgoing speaker took the chair.

Earlier, Awami League Parliamentary Party meeting presided over by Sheikh Hasina at Sangsad Bhaban endorsed the candidatures of the speaker and deputy speaker.