Parliament session begins Monday, premises announced smoke-free area

The 4th session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad will begin tomorrow and will continue till 18 November.

The fifth meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad today, Sunday, decided to conclude the fourth session of parliament on 18 November, with daily sittings scheduled to begin at 4:20 pm, except on government holidays (Fridays and Saturdays).

The meeting, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikrom, MP, was held at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban today.

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman, MP, attended the meeting along with Leader of the Opposition Md Shafiqur Rahman, MP, and other committee members.

The meeting discussed the allocation of time for parliamentary business and the duration of the fourth session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

The committee also authorised the Speaker to make any necessary changes to the sitting schedule and working days of the session, said a press release of parliament secretariat.

The meeting was informed that the government had submitted one bill for consideration during the session. It was also informed that the government had promulgated three ordinances between the third and fourth sessions. These are the Public Procurement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, the Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, and the Special Solar Power Installation Ordinance, 2026. The ordinances will be placed before parliament at the first sitting of the session.

A total of 3,751 questions have been received for the session, including 174 for the prime minister and 3,577 for other ministers.

Besides, the committee received 92 notices seeking the attention of the House under Rule 71 and 281 notices of motions under Rule 131.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman proposed declaring the Jatiya Sangsad premises a smoke-free area. All members of the committee unanimously welcomed the proposal.

The prime minister also sought an update on the installation of the sound system in parliament. In response, Parliament Secretariat Secretary Barrister Md Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan informed him that the new sound system would be inaugurated at 3:30 pm tomorrow under the supervision of the Public Works Department.

Regarding the installation of solar panels on the parliament premises, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, who heads the relevant subcommittee, informed the meeting that the proposed system would generate seven megawatts of electricity.

He said the system would meet parliament’s electricity demand, which stands at around six megawatts during sessions and considerably less at other times, while surplus electricity would be supplied to the national grid.

The prime minister instructed the authorities concerned to ensure electricity storage facilities alongside solar power generation.

The deputy speaker also briefed the committee on the latest progress in the e-Parliament project and recruitment against vacant posts in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The meeting was attended, among others, by committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, Chief Whip Md Nurul Islam Moni, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman, ATM Azharul Islam and Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam.

Parliament Secretariat Secretary Barrister Md Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan provided secretarial assistance at the meeting. Senior officials of the Parliament Secretariat were also present.