Bangladesh's New Parliament Summoned January 25

January 8, 2009 12:19 p.m. EST

Dhaka, Bangladesh (AHN) - Bangladesh's ninth parliament, elected in the December 29 national polls, goes into its first session on January 25 at 3.00 pm (local time), officials said in Dhaka on Thursday.

Bangladesh President Professor Iajuddin Ahmed has summoned the parliament session as per article 72 (1) of the constitution, a Parliament Secretariat handout said in the capital, Dhaka.

On the 29 December general election, the Awami League-led grand alliance got 262 seats while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four-party coalition won only 32 seats, independents four and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) one.

The eighth parliament was dissolved on October in 2006. The country's ninth parliamentary elections was originally scheduled in January 2007 which was postponed following violent disputes over electoral issues between major political parties.