Staff Reporter 

His Majesty The King graced the closing ceremony of the summer session of Parliament yesterday.

Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen and senior government officials and foreign dignitaries also attended the ceremony.

Speaker Wangchuk Namgyel expressed gratitude on behalf of Parliament to His Majesty for travelling extensively to monitor the Covid-19 situation and look after the concerns and difficulties of people.

The Speaker also thanked the Indian government for gifting the statue of the Buddha recently.

He expressed sympathy to the 10 victims of the recent landslide at Ri-Druzhi in Gasa and offered gratitude to the Zhung Dratshang for the numerous prayers for the departed souls. “During the incident, His Majesty granted kidu to the affected families.”

“His Majesty The King has tirelessly travelled across the country, making great sacrifices for the safety and security of our country, and for the peace and harmony of our people. His Majesty has travelled far and wide across the nation and too risky areas from Merak to Jomotshangkha in the east and then to Phuentsholing and Samtse in the west,” the Speaker said.

He said that throughout the journeys, it had been through heavy monsoon rain and hard marshes, in the midst of mosquitoes and leeches, carrying basic necessities and meals unto his back without designated place and time for meals and sacrificing rest and spending sleepless nights in the forests.

“Parliament would like to offer our deepest gratitude to His Majesty the King for the care and deep concern,” he said.

The Speaker said that such extraordinary leadership shown by His Majesty The King has been portrayed as an exemplary quality, a true selfless leadership to the other leaders of the world.

The Speaker shared some of the fruitful outcomes of the month-long session. He said that in addition to the normal legislative and parliamentary functions, motions and a few recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Commission Report 2019 had been forwarded to the Executive for necessary action.

Among other Bills, the House deliberated the Royal Bhutan Police (Amendment) Bill 2021, Biodiversity Bill of Bhutan 2021 and forwarded them to the National Assembly for review.

The closing ceremony concluded with the offering of Trashi Moenlam to His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo by the Members of the Parliament led by the representatives from the Zhung Dratshang.

Edited by Tashi Dema