DHAKA, July 3, 2021 (BSS)- The thirteenth (budget) session of the 11th parliament was prorogued today after only 12 sittings with thin presence of parliament members (MPs) amid the ongoing countrywide lockdown to tackle the widespread COVID-19 transmission.
 
Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, as per the constitution, read out the prorogation order of the President M Abdul Hamid this afternoon.
 
On the last day of the budget session, Leader of the House Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered her closing speech followed by the parliamentary custom.
 
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad Ghulam Mohammad Quader addressed there.
 
Before the end of the session, the audio-video Bangla speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed at the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 1974, was screened as mark of due respect to Bangabandhu, the greatest Bangali of thousand years.
 
This year's budget session started on June 2. On June 3, Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal presented the third budget of the current government of Tk 603, 681 crore.
 
In the context of the global epidemic, the Finance Minister presented the budget for the fiscal year 2020-2021 on June 11 last year.
 
This time, in the midst of the global epidemic of Corona Infection (COVID-19), the budget was presented with the goal and livelihood of the economy in mind.
 
In this session, a total of seven bills were passed. Along with the enactment of the law, 40 notices have been received under section 71 of the rules of procedure.
 
About 73 questions were fixed for the Prime Minister while she answered 30 questions during the question-answer session in the House.  
 
All together 700 questions out of 1058 were answered by different ministers during the question-answer session fixed for different ministries.  
 
Before reading out the prorogation order, the Speaker thanked all the lawmakers of treasury and opposition benches for reaching a consensus in the House in upholding parliamentary democratic practices.
 
Shirin Chaudhury expressed her sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her cooperation in conducting the session.
 
Speaker Chaudhury in her brief speech told the House that this year's budget, in many respects, is a long-term financial proposal.
 
It has been prepared in line with the priorities of the 2018 election manifesto titled "Bangladesh on the Progress of Prosperity", she mentioned.
 
The Speaker added that this budget is a strategic document to lay the groundwork for the progress and prosperity for all with the increased hopes for the future with maintaining the continuity of inclusive development of the past.
 
She thanked all the MPs, officials, journalists, law enforcers and fire service and civil defence personnel for their services for smoothly holding the parliament session.  
 
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the authorities concerned had the plan to maintain health rules and social distancing; fewer MPs attended the session compared to any normal time.
 
 Senior MPs and MPs from outside Dhaka were discouraged to attend this budget session.
 
During the session, steps were taken to avoid public gatherings in the Sangsad Bhaban and media were asked not to come to cover the session. Even the budget documents were given to the media people from the outside of the main parliament building.