As three key positions of Parliament have gone to women, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged opposition leader Khaleda Zia to come to Parliament just once to join a photo session with the new Speaker, the Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. “Please, come to Parliament just once, let’s have at least one picture together to keep it on record,” Hasina requested Khaleda Zia.
Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury was elected the country’s first female Speaker on April 30.
With her election as the female Speaker, now the Jatiya Sangsad is adorned by three key women — Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Khaleda Zia — apart from many other women MPs.
“We’ve made a history in the world… this will never happen again,” Hasina said adding that the Speaker of Parliament is now a woman.
The PM’s invitation for the photo session came while she was delivering her opening speech at a views-exchange meeting with Awami League grassroots leaders from Jhalkati district at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Even the deputy leader of Parliament is woman, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury. “I would request you to select a female deputy leader of the opposition in Parliament. That will make another example in the world,” Hasina said adding that there is no deputy leader of the opposition in Parliament since its beginning.
The Prime Minister went on: “I’ll request her (Khaleda) just to come to Parliament to give a chance for snapping just one picture. It’ll be there on record in the world history.”
“That’s why I will request her to come at least one time in the Parliament,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina at the same programme also invited Khaleda Zia to sit for a dialogue to break the country’s long-drawn political standoff.UNB
