Dhaka, June 18 -- Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad has ruled that members of parliament may show respect to the speaker's chair, or the presiding chair, according to their respective religious practices.

Delivering the ruling at the start of Thursday's parliamentary sitting, he said the word "bowing" had been removed from the Rules of Procedure through an amendment in 2006.

The decision came after several days of discussion and criticism in parliament over the issue.

The speaker said Rule 267(1) of the Rules of Procedure says, during a sitting of parliament, a member shall show respect to the chair when entering or leaving the House and when taking or leaving his or her seat.

He noted that the rule previously contained the word "bowing", but...