Jamaat-e-Islami senior leader Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher has said President Shahabuddin has no authority to address the new parliament, sharpening tensions ahead of the first sitting of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.
In an unusual procedural move, the session will open with the presiding chair empty.
Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman will then announce which senior MP will chair the inaugural sitting.
Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said proceedings will begin with a recitation from the Holy Quran, after which a senior lawmaker will be nominated and seconded to preside.
BNP veteran Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain (Cumilla‑1) is expected to take the chair. If he is unavailable, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir may preside instead.
The outgoing Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury resigned after the fall of the Awami League government and is currently at large, while her deputy Shamsul Haque Tuku remains in custody.
Tarique chaired a meeting of the BNP parliamentary party on Wednesday at the Parliament Complex to finalise nominations. The party has entrusted him with the final decision.
Deputy Speaker Offer to Jamaat Still Pending
Tarique has offered the deputy speaker position to Jamaat-e-Islami, but the party has not yet responded.
Dr Taher said the opposition would announce its stance once a formal proposal is tabled.
Opposition MPs also held a separate meeting at the Parliament Complex, chaired by Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, where they discussed parliamentary strategy, including adjournment motions and topics for general discussion.
Business Advisory Committee to Set Agenda
The Business Advisory Committee will be formed at the first sitting under the new speaker. It will determine the session’s agenda and duration, with expectations that the opening session will be brief.
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