Special parliament session without foreign dignitaries

The special session of parliament, on the occasion of Mujib Borsho (Mujib Year), will be held on March 22-23, as previously scheduled, but without the presence of foreign dignitaries. 

The Business Advisory Committee of the 11th Parliament made the decision on Wednesday in a meeting with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury in the chair. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leaders of the opposition were also present at the meeting. 

Earlier on February 25, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin made the announcement that former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee and Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari were expected to address the special parliament session. 

President Abdul Hamid is scheduled to address the special session, where he is expected to speak about the life and works of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Bangladesh is going to observe Mujib Year, beginning on March 17, 2020, to commemorate Bangabandhu’s birth centenary. 

Bangabandhu was born on March 17, 1920, at Tungipara village in Gopalganj. 

At Wednesday’s meeting, the Business Advisory Committee decided that prior to the beginning of the special session, scheduled for 11 am on March 22, the members of parliament (MPs) will pay homage to the father of the nation by placing wreaths before his portrait at Bangabandhu Museum, in Dhanmondi Road 32, reported BSS.

A proposal will also be placed on Bangabandhu’s chequered political life, which the lawmakers are scheduled to discuss and adopt on March 23.

Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, senior secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, presented the working paper at the meeting.

Senior officials of the parliament secretariat were present at the meeting as well.

Earlier on Monday, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said the foreign dignitaries, who were scheduled to join the inauguration of Bangabandhu’s birth centenary celebrations on March 17, would not be attending the events scheduled for March.

“No foreign guests, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Malaysian former prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, will attend any event in March in Bangladesh that was planned to mark Mujib Year,” he told Dhaka Tribune.

The decision came after three individuals in Bangladesh were diagnosed positive with Covid-19 infection, and considering the larger public health situation regarding coronavirus around the world.