President pitches for national consensus in all aspects for lasting peace, prosperity

President Abdul Hamid has urged all parties to take initiatives for building a national consensus on all aspects in an effort to give a permanent shape to peace and prosperity.

Parliament Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 Jan 2019, 04:38 PM
Updated : 30 Jan 2019, 04:39 PM

He made the call in his address at the inauguration of the 11th National Parliament on Wednesday.

"Peace and prosperity cannot take on a permanent form without national consensus. I urge all to take a collective initiative to create consensus among all political parties and people of all classes and occupations on fundamental questions like continuation of democracy, rule of law and continuous socioeconomic development," said the head of state.

There is a provision for the president to deliver a speech at the first session of a new parliament and also the first session of a new year. A motion will be adopted by the parliament by thanking the president after a discussion on his speech.

The ruling Awami League has an absolute majority in the new parliament formed through the national election held on Dec 30, 2018. Winners in eight constituencies, the BNP and Gono Forum leaders have not taken their oaths yet. The parliament has started its journey without them.

President Hamid read out a summary of the speech prepared by the cabinet. The main speech is 158 pages long.

A musical band from the armed forces greeted the president by playing ‘Fanfare’ in bugle after Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury announced his arrival.

After the president entered the House, the national anthem was played according to the rules. There was a red-cushioned chair positioned on the right of the speaker for the president.

At the speaker's request, the president started reading out his written speech. He requested Speaker Shirin Sharmin to consider his statement as fully read. He delivered his speech from a rostrum positioned on the left of the speaker's seat.

After the new government assumed power, a new life has been injected into the country, said Hamid in his speech.

"Hopefully the initiatives taken by the government in different fields will be more consolidated and dynamic. Bangladesh has to move forward on the path of peace, democracy, development and prosperity," he said.

Hamid, a former speaker himself, also expressed the hope for a joint initiative to make the parliament effective.