Bangladesh’s parliament convened on Thursday for the first time since a deadly 2024 uprising plunged the country into political turmoil, following elections held last month.
The government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, assumed power after the February 12 elections, replacing the interim administration that had governed the country since August 2024.
Addressing lawmakers, Rahman said parliamentary activities were resuming after more than a decade and a half of what he described as fascist and subservient rule. He said the new parliament would consist of representatives elected by the people and urged lawmakers from all parties to work together to build a prosperous, safe, and democratic country.
Rahman blamed the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party for weakening the previous parliament. Hasina, 78, has been sentenced in absentia to death for crimes against humanity and is currently in self-imposed exile in India.
Rahman said the previous administration had made parliament dysfunctional instead of turning it into the centre of national decision-making. He promised that under the new government, parliament would become the main forum for debate and discussion on the country’s challenges.
Those challenges include reviving a sluggish economy, restoring political stability, and rebuilding investor confidence after months of unrest that strained state finances.
Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest garment exporter, has also been affected by rising oil prices linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
In the new parliament, the BNP-led alliance secured 212 seats, with the BNP alone winning 209. Shafiqur Rahman will serve as leader of the opposition, heading the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance that holds 76 seats.
Lawmakers also elected Hafiz Uddin Ahmad as speaker and Kayser Kamal as deputy speaker. Both belong to the BNP.