National
Bangladesh’s Newly Chosen Parliament Members Take Oath
Lawmakers from the Awami League and independent candidates elected in the January 7 polls took their oath as members of the parliament today. The ceremony, administered by the 11th Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, commenced at 10:30 am in the Parliament Complex’s Oath Room.
Speaker Chaudhury, along with independent parliament members, took oath earlier, with Jatiya Party and other faction MPs following suit at 12 pm. The constitution mandates newly elected MPs to take the oath within three days of election results being published in an official gazette, as per Article 148 (2A). A gazette notification on the 12th National Elections’ results, detailing 298 newly elected members, was issued on Tuesday. The new cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in at Bangabhaban at 7 pm on Thursday (January 11).
The Awami League secured 222 out of 298 seats, with independent candidates, mostly aligned with AL, winning 62 seats. Jatiyo Party and single candidates from other parties also claimed victories. After the oath, the AL parliamentary party will elect Sheikh Hasina as their leader, paving the way for her fifth term as prime minister. The president will administer the oath to the new prime minister, who will then form a cabinet with ministers and state ministers chosen by her.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched the 2024 Hajj program (1445 hijri) in Ashkona, the capital, today, May 8th.
Subsequently, she exchanged pleasantries with the Hajj pilgrims at the Ashkona Hajj camp.
The maiden Hajj flight is set to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia on Thursday (May 9).
Dedicated Hajj flights will also operate from Chattogram and Sylhet airports, landing at Jeddah and Medina airports.
This year, 85,257 Bangladeshi pilgrims are expected to undertake the holy journey. Among them, 4,562 will be under government management, while 80,695 will be managed privately.
The Hajj is tentatively scheduled for June 15th, contingent upon the moon sighting.
In attendance were Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqur Rahman, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Religious Affairs Ministry Mohammad Huchamuddin Chowdhury, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan, and president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Shahadat Hossain Taslim.
Religious Affairs Minister Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the inaugural function, while Religious Affairs Secretary Md A Hamid Zamadder delivered the welcome address.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted rain or thundershowers across all eight divisions in the next 24 hours starting from 9 am today.
According to the BMD, “Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at a few places over Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions, and at a few places over Rangpur division with hails at isolated places in the next 24 hours as of 9 am tomorrow.”
A mild heat wave is currently sweeping over the districts of Gopalganj, Jashore, and Chuadanga, but it may abate soon.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The maximum temperature recorded on Monday was 37.6 degrees Celsius in Jashore, while the minimum temperature today was 18.8 degrees Celsius in Bandarban.
Rainfall over the last 24 hours until 6 am today was measured at 130mm in Feni.
Today, the sun is set to set at 6:20 PM and rise at 5:19 AM tomorrow in the capital.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the newly constructed Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Bhaban and Senaprangan (Army Central Auditorium) Bhaban in Dhaka Cantonment today, unveiling their name plaques and cutting ribbons to enter AFIP Bhaban. During her visit, she toured different facilities within AFIP Bhaban, where AFIP Commandant Major General Dr Nishat Jubaida briefed her on its main features and facilities.
The project, “Extension and Modernization of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP),” approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in 2019, aimed to meet the increasing demand for pathology services. Remarkably, the project was completed ahead of schedule, by December 2024.
The 14-storey AFIP Bhaban boasts a modern laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including next-generation sequencing, automated microbial identification systems, transmission electron microscopes, and multi-headed microscopes, ensuring international standard services.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Prof Dr Samanta Lal Sen, Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, and other dignitaries graced the occasion.
Following the inauguration of Senaprangan Bhaban, the prime minister also cut a ribbon to enter the new facility. Senaprangan serves as the army’s central auditorium for hosting various national and international-level events such as meetings, seminars, and social gatherings, with Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed and high-level army officers in attendance.
