AL, BNP hold parliamentary party meet tomorrow

Awami League (AL) and BNP will have their parliamentary party meetings before inauguration of the ninth parliament tomorrow.
The newly elected legislature will convene at 3:00pm at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. President Iajuddin Ahmed will address the opening session.
At the first sitting, parliament shall elect a speaker and a deputy speaker. It might also elect a successor to Iajuddin.
The AL Parliamentary Party (ALPP) meeting will begin at 2:00pm at a JS conference room. It will be chaired by Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina.
BNP Chairperson and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia will preside over the BNP Parliamentary Party (BNPP) meeting.
Party leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury last night told The Daily Star that they will select a deputy leader and a chief whip of the opposition shortly before parliament goes into session.
Meanwhile, BNP yesterday demanded that the traditional seating arrangements in parliament not be changed.
“The opposition lawmakers sit on the left side of the speaker while the ruling party members on the right," Salauddin told reporters at his Dhanmondi residence.
"If there's a break with this long tradition, we'll tell people that we are barred from playing an effective role in parliament."
Sources said the ruling party has lately proposed that the first-row seats on either side be allocated on the basis of proportional representation.
Outgoing Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar is trying to resolve the issue through discussions with both sides, added the sources.
WHIPS VISIT TUNGIPARA
The chief whip and whips of parliament yesterday laid wreaths at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's tomb in Tungipara of Gopalganj and Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on the city's Dhanmondi road No-32.
Earlier, the president has appointed Abdus Shahid as chief whip and Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, Mujibul Huq Mujib, Sagufta Yasmin Emily and Sheikh Abdul Wahab as whips.