Parliament Mourns Khaleda Zia, Global and National Leaders

The 13th National Parliament held its inaugural session on Thursday, unanimously adopting a comprehensive condolence motion to honor the memory of several eminent national and international figures. 

The session, presided over by newly elected Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, paid tribute to three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, 31 former lawmakers, and a wide array of historical figures.

The motion included international leaders such as former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pope Francis, and the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

Domestically, the House mourned the passing of former President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and numerous other former parliamentarians.

The session also saw a significant expansion of the motion following requests from the opposition benches. 

Upon the request of the Opposition Chief Whip, Deputy Opposition Leader Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, the Speaker incorporated the names of former Jamaat-e-Islami leaders—including Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, and Mir Quasem Ali—into the official record. 

Additional names, including Abrar Fahad and Felani Khatun, were also added at the request of the Opposition Chief Whip.

The parliamentary proceedings reflected a deep focus on the nation's recent political history. 

The House expressed profound sorrow for those who lost their lives in the 17-year struggle for democracy between 2007 and August 5, 2024, as well as the victims of enforced disappearances, including M Ilias Ali and Sajedul Islam Sumon. 

The martyrs of the July Uprising, including Abu Sayed and Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, were also honored, alongside victims of past tragedies such as the 2009 Pilkhana carnage and the 2013 Shapla Chattar Hefazat rally.

During the discussion on Begum Khaleda Zia, LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir praised her enduring legacy, stating, “In her 43 years of political life, she never compromised on the issue of democracy. 

She never compromised on the issue of the sovereignty and independence of Bangladesh. And that was her greatest achievement that inspires the people of Bangladesh.”

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed underscored her electoral success and political stature, noting, “Whenever she contested, no matter from how many constituencies, in the election, she was elected everywhere.” 

He added that she was widely recognized as ‘Deshanetri’ (the Leader of the Country) and the “mother of democracy for her unprecedented sacrifices in different democratic movements including the anti-autocratic movement and anti-fascism struggle.”

The session also included reflections on the July Uprising, with Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam calling for accountability. 

“Nahid Islam demanded justice for the killings during the July uprising, enforced disappearances and past incidents of corruption and plunder, saying the spirit of July represents a democratic, inclusive and fascism-free Bangladesh,” the report noted.

The proceedings concluded with a one-minute silence and a munajat conducted by Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain (Kaikobad) to seek eternal peace for the departed.