The fourth session of the 13th National Parliament commences today. The parliamentary proceedings are scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM on Monday (November 9) at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad presiding. The session is expected to continue until November 18.

Under the constitution, there is a mandatory requirement to convene a new session within 60 days of the conclusion of the previous one. This session has been summoned to fulfill that constitutional obligation. On October 14, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir convened the session exercising powers conferred by Article 72(1) of the Constitution.

According to Parliament Secretariat sources, the session will be brief, with five to six bills likely to be introduced. The duration has been kept short due to the requirement to summon the next session in January. Alongside the regular question-and-answer segment, notices of urgent public importance and general discussions will take place during the session.

Meanwhile, the Business Advisory Committee held its fifth meeting on Sunday at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban to determine the business and schedule of the session. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad presided over the meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman, Leader of the Opposition Dr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman, and other committee members.

As per the decisions of the meeting, parliament will sit at 4:20 PM every day except on official holidays (Fridays and Saturdays). The session is scheduled to conclude on November 18.

A total of 3,751 questions have been submitted by Members of Parliament for this session, including 174 directed to the Prime Minister and 3,577 to other ministers.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman proposed declaring the National Parliament premises a smoke-free zone—a proposal unanimously supported by the attending members.