The 12th parliament went into its first session this afternoon with a record 62 independent lawmakers, most of whom are Awami League leaders.

The House went into session at 3:00pm with deputy speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku in the chair.

At the beginning of the sitting, the Speaker and the deputy speaker of the House will be elected and they will be sworn in by the president.

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Shamsul Haque Tuku will continue in their post as Speaker and Deputy Leader of the House as the AL parliamentary party in a meeting has already nominated them for this post.

The president, who addresses the first parliamentary session of a new year, will give a speech on the first day of the session. The cabinet earlier approved the speech.

The Business Advisory Committee of the new parliament will be formed today with the new speaker as its head. The committee will decide the tenure of the inaugural session and other businesses of parliament.

The current parliament was formed through the January 7 national election, boycotted by 16 political parties including BNP, out of a total 44 parties registered with the Election Commission.

Out of 299 seats, 223 seats were won by AL, 11 by Jatiyo Party, one each by Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), and Bangladesh Kalyan Party, while 62 seats were won by independent candidates.

AL sources said that of the 62 independents, at least 58 were ruling party leaders.

Both the Workers Party and JSD candidates won in the polls using the electoral symbol of AL, boat, as the ruling party did not field its candidate in those constituencies.

Considering the 58 seats of independent candidates who are actually AL leaders and two seats of Workers Party and JSD, the total number of seats of AL and its allies stands at 283.

Only five political parties have representation in this parliament.

After the 11th parliamentary election in 2018, nine parties were in parliament, while seven parties came to the Jatiya Sangsad through the 10th parliamentary election, held in 2014.

Eight parties were in parliament after the 2008 and 2001 elections. And after the June 1996 election, six parties were in the House, while 12 parties came to Jatiya Sangsad through the election in 1991.