The newly elected parliament of Bangladesh will hold its inaugural session on March 12, when lawmakers are expected to elect a speaker and deputy speaker, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced on Sunday (February 22).

The minister disclosed the information to reporters following a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat.

He explained that the session will also feature the presentation of ordinances issued by the interim government and condolence motions.

According to the minister, the constitutional process requires the Parliament Secretariat to send a summary of the session schedule to the President’s Office through the Prime Minister’s Office. Based on the prime minister’s advice, the president will formally convene the opening session.

In addition to electing the speaker and deputy speaker, the session will address various ordinances promulgated during the interim government’s tenure. Proceedings will also include a condolence motion and the traditional presidential address.

Salahuddin Ahmed confirmed the details through a post on his verified Facebook page late Saturday night. “The session will also present interim government ordinances and condolence motions,” he wrote, adding that the speaker and deputy speaker will be elected during the session.

Under the Constitution, the president is required to summon the first session of a newly elected parliament within 30 days of the official gazetting of election results, acting on written advice from the prime minister.

National elections and a referendum were held on 12 February, with results gazetted the following day. Newly elected MPs took their oaths on 13 February, making the first session mandatory before 14 March.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been designated parliamentary leader, and his government has already begun operations, though the party has yet to elect a speaker, deputy leader or chief whip.

On the opposition side, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Shafiqur Rahman has been named opposition leader, Syed Abdullah Md Taher as deputy leader, and Nahid Islam of the NCP as chief whip.

In accordance with the July National Charter, the deputy speaker position is expected to be filled by a member of the opposition.

Following constitutional procedure, the president will deliver the opening speech after cabinet approval, which will be followed by parliamentary debate.

In the absence of explicit rules on presiding over the session, historical precedent from 1973 allows a senior member to chair proceedings until the speaker and deputy speaker are formally elected.

Of the 300 parliamentary seats, voting took place in 299 constituencies. Results from two Chattogram seats remain pending due to court orders, and voting in Sherpur-3 was postponed following the death of a candidate.

Among the remaining 297 seats, the BNP won 209, its allies three, Jamaat 68, NCP six, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis three, Islami Andolan one, and independents seven.