Session of Bangladesh Parliament
On the advice of the Prime Minister tendered to him in writing,
the President summons Parliament specifying the time and place of the first
meeting. The period beginning with the first sitting of Parliament and ending
with its prorogation is termed a session of Parliament. A sitting means the
meeting of Parliament from the commencement of its business to the termination
thereof for a day. A meeting, which commences on a day and continues into the
next day is considered to be a sitting of the day on which it commenced.
Once a session commences the Speaker may adjourn it to a date and time fixed by
him.
The list of business for a sitting, prepared by Secretary of
Parliament with the approval of the Speaker, is called the Orders of the Day, a
copy of which is made available to all Members of Parliament at their addresses
in Dhaka usually the night before the sitting.
At the commencement of each session, the Speaker nominates, from
amongst Members of Parliament, a panel of not more than five Chairpersons and
arranges their names in an order of precedence. In the absence of the Speaker
and the Deputy Speaker, the person whose name is at the top of the panel, from
amongst those present in the sitting, takes the Chair.
Government business is transacted on four days of the week
commencing on Sunday. The fifth day in the week, i.e. Thursday, is called
Private Members' Day on which Private Members Business has preference. If a
Thursday is allotted for transaction of government business, which happens in
very rare cases such as presentation of budget in Parliament, one of the
government days will then usually be earmarked as a Private Members Day. Some
business such as questions, call attention notices, questions of privileges,
discussions for short duration, adjournment motions, and other matters which
are essentially private members business, are transacted either on all days or,
ironically, only on government days.
A Minister who is not a Member of Parliament does not enjoy the
right to vote, nor can he speak in Parliament on any matter not related to his
Ministry.
If at any time during which Parliament is in session the
attention of the person presiding is drawn to the fact that the number of
members present is less than sixty, he shall either suspend the meeting until
at least sixty members are present, or adjourn it.
A session of Parliament is prorogued by the President upon the
advice of the Prime Minister, which is tendered to him in writing.