Lesson 2/43 min
The parliament building and its Speakers
Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban
- Location: Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka
- Architect: the American Louis I. Kahn
- Decision to build in 1959; Kahn formally commissioned in March 1962; construction began in 1964
- Work stopped in 1971; in 1974 the government decided to finish the building
- Inaugurated on 28 January 1982 by President Justice Abdus Sattar
- The first sitting in the new building was on 15 February 1982
- Nine levels; the chamber has 354 seats for members
- It won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Speakers that exams ask about
| Name | Why remembered |
|---|---|
| Shah Abdul Hamid | First Speaker of the Constituent Assembly (1972) |
| Mohammad Mohammadullah | Speaker of the 1st Sangsad; later President |
| Shamsul Huda Chaudhury | Speaker of the 3rd and 4th Sangsads |
| Abdur Rahman Biswas | Speaker of the 5th Sangsad (1991); elected President while Speaker |
| Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury | First woman Speaker (2013–2024) |
| Hafiz Uddin Ahmad | Speaker of the 13th Sangsad since 12 March 2026 (checked in 2026) |
Watch out: Older editions of the books call Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury the “current Speaker”. As checked in 2026, the current Speaker is Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.
Did you know?: Sources give the site as 215, 208 or 200 acres, so no figure is given here.
Check yourself
Who designed the parliament building?
At a glance
- 1
The building was designed by Louis I. Kahn and stands at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.
- 2
Inaugurated on 28 January 1982 by Justice Abdus Sattar; the chamber has 354 seats.
- 3
First Speaker of the Constituent Assembly: Shah Abdul Hamid; Speaker of the 1st Sangsad: Mohammad Mohammadullah.
- 4
First woman Speaker: Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury; Abdur Rahman Biswas became President while Speaker.
- 5
In 2026 the Speaker is Hafiz Uddin Ahmad (since 12 March 2026).