The eighth session to be chaired by Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui in the absence of the speaker is likely to continue amid the main opposition's boycott.

Lawmakers from the Awami League (AL) walked out of the House on the first day of the last session on May 8 over the Chair's refusal to allow Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina to speak and switching off of her microphone.

The AL lawmakers did not return to the House for the rest of the sittings of the seventh session and are still undecided about joining the budget session.

Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman is scheduled to present the national budget for the 2003-04 fiscal on June 12.

The AL will hold off joining the budget session, if the government does not ensure enough opportunity for the opposition to speak in parliament and backtrack on reinstatement of a convict in the Bangabandhu Murder Case and an accused in the Jail Killing Case, said insiders.

Chief Whip Khandakar Delwar Hossain told The Daily Star last night that he hoped the AL lawmakers would join the budget session and said the opposition lawmakers would be given ample opportunity to speak.

Opposition Chief Whip Abdus Shahid yesterday said the notices submitted by the opposition lawmakers should be accepted and discussed in the House and the microphone of the opposition leader should not be switched off.