House session prorogued due to Covid-19

The budget and eighth session of 11th parliament was prorogued yesterday due to the pandemic. With only nine working days, this was the shortest parliament session in recent history.

The shortest ever budget session was prorogued around 1:30pm, in presence of Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.

Of the nine sittings, only two days were allotted for holding discussions on the new budget. Discussions on supplementary budget for 2019-20 fiscal were held only for one day.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed the Tk 5,68,000 crore national budget on June 11, while the budget session began on June 10.

According to the parliament secretariat, 16 MPs -- 10 from Awami League, three from Jatiya Party and one each from BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Workers Party -- took part in the budget discussions.

A total of 5.18 hours of discussions were had on the new budget. In recent years, 50-55 hours of budget discussions were the average.

In the supplementary budget discussion, six MPs participated.

Among other matters, 16 bills were placed and only five of them were passed in this session. Besides, 12 notices were received under Section-71 of parliament rules of procedure.

About 26 questions were fixed for the prime minister, while she answered 11 of them during the question-answer period in the eighth session.

To follow health guidelines and contain the spread of Covid-19, fewer MPs could attend the session. Senior lawmakers and MPs from outside the capital were discouraged to attend.

Minimum number of staffers and officials of the parliament secretariat were asked to be present at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Media were also requested to not be physically present to cover the session and follow the live coverage on Sangsad Television.