The fourth session of the current parliament will start Monday with the main opposition BNP continuing its boycott.

Meanwhile, chief whip Abdus Shahid told reporters on Sunday that the BNP-led alliance was not joining the session due to 'internal problems'.

But chief whip of the opposition Zainul Abdin Farroque told newsmen the same day that his party was interested in joining, but it still lacked a "congenial atmosphere".

"They (BNP) are not coming to parliament for their own internal problems," chief whip Shahid told reporters in parliament.

"They are competing with each other over the post of deputy leader of the opposition to secure a seat by the side of the opposition leader," said Shahid, who as chief whip of opposition had himself advocated boycotting sessions of the 8th parliament.

His party, the Awami League, now leading the government, staged three long boycotts in the 8th parliament (Oct 2001 to Oct 2006) citing the same reason—that parliament lacked a "congenial atmosphere" for the opposition.

Farroque said, "We want to join parliament. But there is no atmosphere."

He said the government must create a favourable condition for the opposition to join the house.

OPENING DAY SCHEDULE

According to parliament secretariat offiicials, the Business Advisory Committee, headed by the speaker Abdul Hamid, will sit at 2.00pm to decide on the duration of the session.

On the opening day, the parliament will adopt a condolence reference after which the law minister will table the Public Servants (retirement) (amendment) Ordinance-2009 in parliament.

President Zillur Rahman will also address the Jatiya Sangsad as per the constitution.

This will be the first session that Zillur addresses as president in line with the article 73 of the constitution.

Last year, Zillur Rahman was sitting as a lawmaker when the BNP-nominated president, Iajuddin Ahmed, delivered his speech on first day of the 9th parliament on Jan 25.

According to Bangladesh constitution, the president must deliver speeches on the first day of the first session of a new parliament or first day of the first session of a new year.

The house will be adjourned after the president's speech.

Lawmakers will speak on the president's speech from the second working day of the session deliberating on whether to endorse a motion to thank the president.

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