Dhaka, April 5 -- The national assembly has been forced into another unexpected pause as a microphone failure disrupted the session for the second time since the 13th Parliament began.

On Sunday evening, proceedings were suspended for 40 minutes after Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni's address became inaudible amid a ruckus between government and Opposition MPs following the passage of two bills.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad confirmed the issue, saying his own microphone was also malfunctioning.

At 6pm, he announced a 40-minute suspension to allow repairs and for prayers.

A similar disruption had occurred on Mar 12, the opening day of the 13th Parliament, when a faulty sound system halted proceedings.

During the session, Chief Whip Moni was ...