News Desk

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office and secrecy to Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed as Speaker of Bangladesh’s 13th parliament on March 12, formally placing the veteran politician at the helm of the country’s legislative body.

The swearing-in ceremony took place around noon at the office of the president inside Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the national parliament complex in Dhaka, marking the official start of Ahmed’s tenure as Speaker.

Ahmed, a six-term lawmaker representing the Bhola-3 constituency, was elected to the position earlier by members of the newly formed parliament. A decorated freedom fighter who received the Bir Bikram gallantry award for his role in Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence, he previously served as the country’s minister for Liberation War affairs.

He stepped down from the ministerial post before assuming the role of Speaker, in accordance with parliamentary conventions that require the office to maintain neutrality in overseeing legislative proceedings.

During the ceremony, President Shahabuddin also administered the oath to Kaiser Kamal as Deputy Speaker of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

Kamal, a barrister and lawmaker from the Netrokona-1 constituency (Kalamkanda-Durgapur), had been serving as state minister for land prior to his election to the post. He entered parliament in the latest national election as a candidate of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the ceremony as Leader of the House, alongside several senior cabinet members and government officials.

Following the swearing-in, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker signed official documents affirming their oath of office and secrecy, formally assuming their constitutional responsibilities.

The Speaker presides over parliamentary sessions, maintains order during debates and ensures legislative procedures are followed, while the Deputy Speaker assists in managing proceedings and chairs sessions in the Speaker’s absence.

The appointments come as Bangladesh’s newly constituted 13th parliament begins its legislative work, setting the stage for the government’s policy agenda in the coming session.