Bangladesh National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

The Bangladesh National Parliament, locally known as the Jatiya Sangsad, is the unicameral legislative body of Bangladesh. It is the supreme law-making institution of the country, responsible for enacting legislation, approving the national budget, and overseeing the executive branch.

History[edit | edit source]

The Jatiya Sangsad was established following the adoption of the Constitution of Bangladesh in 1972, after the country gained independence in 1971.
Its formation replaced the provincial and colonial legislative structures of East Pakistan and British India.
Since its creation, it has served as the central institution for parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh.

Structure[edit | edit source]

The Jatiya Sangsad is a unicameral legislature consisting of 350 seats:
- 300 seats are directly elected from geographical constituencies through a first-past-the-post system.
- 50 seats are reserved for women, allocated proportionally to parties based on their share of the 300 directly elected seats.
Term: Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected for a five-year term, unless the parliament is dissolved earlier.
Leadership:
- Speaker: Presides over sessions and ensures parliamentary rules are followed.
- Deputy Speaker: Assists the Speaker.
- Prime Minister: Leader of the majority party; head of government.
- Leader of the Opposition: Head of the largest non-government party.

Functions[edit | edit source]

The National Parliament of Bangladesh performs the following key functions:

Legislation: Enacts, amends, and repeals laws.
Budget Approval: Reviews and approves the national budget and financial bills.
Oversight: Monitors and evaluates the activities of the executive branch.
Constituency Representation: MPs represent the interests of citizens from their respective constituencies.
National Policy Formation: Discusses and influences policies related to economy, defense, foreign affairs, and social development.

Elections[edit | edit source]

General elections are held every five years.
Voters elect MPs through a first-past-the-post system in each constituency.
Reserved seats for women are proportionally allocated to parties based on their electoral performance.
The most recent 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections were held in 2024, and the 13th elections are scheduled for 2026.

Parliamentary Procedure[edit | edit source]

Sessions of the parliament are conducted in Bangla (Bengali).
Debates follow standing orders, and decisions are usually taken by majority vote.
Committees exist to review bills, policies, and government activities in specialized areas such as finance, education, and foreign affairs.

Significance[edit | edit source]

The Jatiya Sangsad is the cornerstone of Bangladesh’s parliamentary democracy.
Acts as a platform for representative democracy, ensuring citizens’ voices are reflected in national policy.
Plays a crucial role in checks and balances, holding the government accountable to the people.