Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal sworn in

The two had been members of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s cabinet before they were elected

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has administered the oaths of office to Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal at his office in the Parliament Building after they were elected by the 13th parliament.

Hafiz, a six-time MP, was the minister for Liberation War affairs in Tarique Rahman’s cabinet. A member of the BNP National Standing Committee, the party’s top policymaking body, he was also the minister for water resources in the Khaleda Zia government in 2001.

The first session of the 13th parliament began at 11:05am on Thursday and was presided over by senior MP Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain by the unanimous decision of the MPs. As per the rules, the speaker and deputy speaker were elected at the beginning of the session.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni nominated Hafiz for the post of speaker and Whip Rakibul Islam seconded it.

There were no other nominations for speaker and Hafiz was elected by voice vote.

Whip Ruhul Quddus Talukdar then proposed the name of Barrister Kayser as deputy speaker. Whip ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan seconded the proposal.

Kayser was the state minister for land in Tarique’s cabinet.

Parliament was then adjourned for 30 minutes.

During that time, President Shahabuddin administered their oaths of office.