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Published : 12 Mar 2026, 04:21 PM
Members of the opposition have staged a walkout in protest over the president’s address during the first session of the 13th parliament.
When the entry of President Mohammad Shahabuddin into the chamber was announced on Thursday, opposition MPs stood up from their seats and protested.
At the time, they displayed red cards bearing the words “No betrayal of July”.
Following parliamentary convention, the leader of the house and members of the ruling party stood up to greet the president as he entered the chamber. However, some opposition MPs remained seated as part of their protest.
When the national anthem began to play on the bugle, minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and officials of parliament requested members to stand to show their respect for the anthem. While some MPs stood up, several others remained seated. Opposition members, however, paused their protest and stood silently during the anthem.
As the president began delivering his address, opposition MPs began protesting loudly. At one stage, they walked out of the chamber while chanting slogans.
Earlier, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed had urged the opposition members to remain calm, saying the president’s address was a constitutional obligation.
“We want to follow the provisions of the Constitution and the traditions of parliament. Please do not set a bad precedent,” the speaker said.
Despite his call, opposition lawmakers left the chamber chanting slogans, creating tension in the house on the first day of the new parliament.
The session was later adjourned until Mar 15 at 4:30pm by the newly elected speaker following the president's address.
As the president began his speech, opposition members raised a commotion and exited the chamber.
Shafiqur Rahman, the leader of the opposition and Jamaat ameer, cited three "offences" for the boycott.
"This parliament stands on the blood of the July martyrs. We requested that no associate of the fallen fascist regime be allowed to speak here," Shafiqur told reporters outside the hall.
He accused the president of being a "collaborator in the past killings" and a "liar" for his conflicting statements regarding the former prime minister's resignation in August 2024.
Furthermore, he alleged a breach of protocol regarding the dual oaths taken by MPs as members of the reform council.
Opposition Whip and NCP Convenor Nahid Islam added that they had sought to raise these points on the floor but were denied the opportunity.
"When the president arrived, the leader of the opposition wanted to speak on this issue. Since we were not allowed, we staged a walkout," he said.
Responding to the protest, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed described the walkout as a "routine democratic practice".
"The opposition has the right to walk out under the rules of procedure. It is not an unprecedented event," the minister said.
However, he suggested that the display of placards by some opposition members was unnecessary.
"The entire nation has waited 18 years for this day. We have begun a new democratic journey," Salahuddin added.
