NCP to skip cabinet swearing-in: Facebook post

Members elected in the 13th national parliamentary election are being sworn in this Tuesday morning.

The oath-taking of the newly elected members of parliament is scheduled for 10:00 am in the oath chamber of the national parliament building.

At the same time, members of the constitutional reform council are also due to take oath.

Newly elected MPs were seen entering the parliament complex shortly after 9:00 am. Crowds of onlookers gathered outside the parliament building, while law enforcement agencies were deployed on duty. Members of the media were also present to cover the proceedings.

Newly elected BNP MP from Chattogram-11 Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, BNP Major (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, elected from Bhola–3 on the ticket of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was seen entering the parliament complex. Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, the BNP leader elected from Dhaka–3, also arrived at the venue.

According to the national parliament secretariat, the oath-taking of newly elected members of parliament and members of the constitutional reform council will commence at 10:00 am in the oath chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The cabinet will be sworn in at 4:00 pm.

The chief election commissioner, AMM Nasir Uddin, will administer the oath to members of parliament. Although this responsibility ordinarily rests with the parliament speaker, the decision has been taken in accordance with constitutional provisions in the post-uprising context. The president, Mohammad Shahabuddin, will administer the oath to members of the cabinet.

Approximately 1,200 domestic and international guests are expected to attend, including representatives from India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries.

The Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has announced special traffic arrangements ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Members of Parliament and the newly formed cabinet members, scheduled to be held at the South Plaza of Parliament Complex on Tuesday. Read in details here

Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Dhaka to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s newly elected government, reaffirming close bilateral ties between the two South Asian nations. The information was confirmed in a post published on X by the President’s Office of the Maldives at 9:39 am on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman arrived at the National Parliament building to take oath. He was accompanied by his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman.

Salahuddin Ahmed, elected from Cox’s Bazar–1 as a member of parliament representing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has said, “None of us has been elected as a member of the constitutional reform council. Action on this matter may be taken only if it is constitutionally adopted in the national parliament.”

He added that he was conveying this decision on behalf of the party chairman.

The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected members of the parliament (13th Jatiya Sangsad) commenced today, Tuesday, shortly after 10:30 am at the parliament complex.

The event opened with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an.

The oath was administered by the chief election commissioner, AMM Nasir Uddin. Traditionally, this duty is performed by the speaker of the national parliament, but following the post–people’s uprising context, the decision was taken in accordance with constitutional provisions.

Out of the 300 parliamentary seats, voting was held in 299 last Thursday. Polling in Sherpur–3 did not occur due to the death of a candidate, while two constituencies face court injunctions delaying the publication of results. Consequently, MPs from 297 seats are taking the oath today.

Although the newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) MPs are taking their parliamentary oaths, they will not be sworn in as members of the constitutional reform council.

A senior BNP source confirmed this to Prothom Alo on Tuesday morning.

Ahead of the path taking ceremony, Salahuddin Ahmed, elected BNP MP from Cox's Bazar-1 constituency, stated, “None of us have been elected as members of the constitutional reform council. Any action regarding this can only take place once it is constitutionally adopted in the national parliament.”

He added that this decision is being communicated on behalf of the party chairman.

Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Jamaat-e-Islami’s nayeb-e-ameer, has stated that if the newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) MPs do not take the oath as members of the constitutional reform council, Jamaat MPs will not take any oath either.

Taher told Prothom Alo on Tuesday morning that the swearing-in for their newly elected MPs is scheduled for 12:00 pm, and they will attend.

However, he stressed that unless BNP MPs take the constitutional reform council oath, Jamaat’s MPs will refuse to be sworn in, as they consider a parliament without reforms meaningless.

The parliamentary secretariat had prepared for the swearing-in of both the newly elected MPs of the 13th national parliament and the members of the constitutional reform council.

BNP has already clarified that while its MPs will take the parliamentary oath, they will abstain from the constitutional reform council oath.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet members will be held today, Tuesday afternoon. Rows of vehicles have been kept ready at the secretariat for them. A total of 68 vehicles have been prepared, of which 45 have been stationed at the secretariat.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has been elected leader of the parliamentary party.

The newly elected BNP Members of Parliament held a meeting in the parliamentary party’s meeting room today, Tuesday, shortly after 11:30 am.

At that meeting, Tarique Rahman was elected leader of the parliamentary party.

The information was confirmed to the media by Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP media cell.

Newly elected MPs from the National Citizen Party (NCP) may choose not to take their parliamentary oaths. This consideration comes in response to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) MPs’ decision to abstain from the constitutional reform council oath. However, the NCP MPs have not made a final decision.

The swearing-in for the NCP’s newly elected MPs is scheduled for 12:00 pm on Tuesday.

Ahead of the event, six NCP MPs have already entered the national parliament building.

NCP joint convener Monira Sharmin said that the NCP MPs might skip the oath-taking if BNP MPs continue to refrain from taking the constitutional reform council oath.

Abdullah Al Amin, elected from Narayanganj-4, told Prothom Alo around 11:00 am that the party is indeed considering not taking the oath due to BNP’s stance, but he emphasized that no final decision has yet been made.

Newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) MPs have decided that none of them will take duty-free vehicles or government-allotted plots.

The decision was made during a parliamentary party meeting held on Tuesday shortly after 11:30 am.

Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP’s media cell, confirmed the decision.

The newly elected members of parliament from the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami took their oaths as MPs. The ceremony started shortly before 12:30 pm today at the oath-taking hall of the national parliament.

Prior to the oath, verses from the Holy Qur’an were recited. The oath was administered by chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

Earlier this morning, Jamaat’s nayeb-e-ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher had told Prothom Alo that the party’s newly elected MPs would not take the oath if BNP’s MPs refrained from swearing in as members of the constitutional reform council.

However, he confirmed that the oath-taking was scheduled for 12:00 pm and that Jamaat’s MPs would attend the ceremony.

Following their oath as members of parliament, the newly elected MPs from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami are now taking their oaths as members of the constitutional reform council.

The ceremony was administered by chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

During the proceedings, independent MP Rumeen Farhana and BNP MP Ishraque Hossain left the hall.

 The oath-taking ceremony for the elected members of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) will be held at 1:00pm at the National Parliament building, according to sources from the Parliament Secretariat.

Earlier, NCP sources indicated that the elected MPs might not take the oath, as BNP’s winning MPs had refrained from taking the oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. However, the NCP has not made any final announcement on this matter.

For the same reason, Jamaat-e-Islami initially stated in the morning that its MPs would not take the oath as members of Parliament.

Later in the day, they did take the oath as members of both the National Parliament and the Constitutional Reform Council.

The newly elected members of parliament of the National Citizen Party (NCP) were sworn in as MPs on Tuesday, shortly after 1:30 pm, at the oath-taking chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament).

Prior to the ceremony, verses from the Holy Qur’an were recited.

The oath was administered by chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

Earlier, sources within the NCP had indicated that their MPs were considering not taking the oath, due to the BNP’s newly elected MPs opting out of swearing in as members of the constitutional reform council. However, the party had not made a final decision at that time.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s elected MPs had already taken their oath as both MPs and members of the constitutional reform council earlier in the afternoon.

The ceremony was overseen by Kaniz Mawla, secretary of the Jatiya Sangsad secretariat.

During the July mass uprising, Hasnat Abdullah’s ‘number 10 jersey’ had attracted attention.

This time, while taking the oath as a member of the 13th national parliament and the constitutional reform council, he again drew attention wearing the same jersey.

A little before 1:30 pm, Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organiser of the NCP’s southern region, took the oath as a member of parliament at the oath chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. He was elected from Comilla-4 under the 11-party electoral alliance.

Om Birla, speaker of India’s Lok Sabha, has arrived in Dhaka to attend the cabinet swearing-in ceremony.

He reached Dhaka today, Tuesday, at 12:45 pm on a special flight of the Indian Air Force.

He was welcomed in Dhaka by Md Nazrul Islam, secretary (bilateral affairs) of the ministry of foreign affairs.

Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, M Riaz Hamidullah was also present there.

Accompanying Om Birla on his visit is India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced that it will not attend the cabinet swearing-in ceremony, scheduled today, Tuesday, at 4:00 pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The NCP made the announcement on its verified Facebook page at around 1:30 pm. The party’s six elected candidates had already taken their oaths as members of parliament (MP) and members of the constitutional reform council earlier.

Before taking that oath, the NCP had indicated in the morning that, they were considering skipping the oath, since the BNP did not take the oath for the constitutional reform council. However, the party had not given any final confirmation at that time.

While taking the oath, members of parliament (MP) recite the oath text.

They say, “I, (their respective names), having been elected a member of parliament, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge the duties I am about to assume in accordance with the law; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Bangladesh; and that I will not allow my duties as a member of parliament to be influenced by personal interests.”

Independent MP from Brahmanbaria-2, Rumeen Farhana, said, “I always congratulate the winning party.” She said the electoral contest was tough.

Rumeen said these to the journalists today, Tuesday, after taking oath as a MP of the 13th parliament at the oath room of the parliament complex. However, she did not take oath as a member of the Constitutional Reform Council.

Rumeen Farhana said, “In the previous three elections there was no presence of BNP. In this election there is no presence of Awami League. From that perspective, minimum 30 percent of the people of the country have no representation. I really do not see much difference.”

“Minimum 30 percent of the people have no representation in this parliament; we have to sit in the parliament keeping that in our heads,” she added.

Asked why women’s representation in the election is low, Rumeen Farhana said the big parties should be asked about this.

Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has arrived in Dhaka to attend the new cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony. He was welcomed at the airport by Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain.

Also arriving in Dhaka for the same event are Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal Chowdhury and Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma.