A freedom fighter as the second Deputy Speaker

The ninth parliament has unanimously elected (Awami League-led alliance nominee) two freedom fighters -Advocate Abdul Hamid and Colonel (Retd) Shawkat Ali, as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, in its first sitting. Both are veteran parliamentarians. Colonel (Retd) Shawkat Ali - then a Captain of Pakistan Army and an accused in the 'Agartala Conspiracy' case (officially called 'State vs. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others' ) of 1968 - is a historical figure of Bangladesh freedom struggle. Advocate Abdul Hamid was the youngest ever member of Pakistan National Assembly in 1970, at the age of 25. In fact, freedom fighter heroes have presented Bangladeshi people the right to vote and the parliament.
One hopes that the BNP-Jamaat-led opposition will also nominate a reputed freedom fighter as the proposed second Deputy Speaker should they wish to take up that post.