The ninth session of the 10th parliament will continue till February 29, the business advisory committee of the national parliament decided today.

The decision was made at a meeting, chaired by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, of the committee today.

Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Opposition in parliament Raushan Ershad, PM’s Special Envoy HM Ershad, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Chief Whip ASM Firoz, Main Uddin Khan Badal and Law Minister Anisul Huq attended today’s meeting.

Parliament Secretary Dr M Abdur Rab Hawlader and other high officials were present at the meeting.

The session will begin at 4:30pm every day and the Speaker can change the duration of the whole session if necessary, a press release of the parliament secretariat said today.

President Abdul Hamid delivered the inaugural speech of the New Year session this afternoon.

The committee has decided to hold discussions for 45hours on the president’s speech, the release added.

Meanwhile, a five-member panel of chairmen has been nominated by Speaker Shirin Sharmin for this session.

Members of the panel – Abul Kalam Azad, Tajul Islam, Habibur Rahman Molla, Fakhrul Imam and Dipu Moni – will conduct the proceedings of the parliament in chronological order in absence of the Speaker and the deputy speaker.