AL relieved as BNP MP joins parliament

The ruling Awami League is relieved as an MP elected from BNP has joined parliament, AL leaders said.

They said there are now representatives from all parties in the 11th parliament as Zahidur Rahman, who was elected MP from BNP, has taken oath.

The parliament session will be lively as the ruling party's main rival BNP is now in parliament, the leaders said, adding that BNP's allegations on vote rigging will now be meaningless.

According to the Awami League, BNP would be divided into two groups if one or more BNP leaders join parliament. One group will be in parliament and the other outside.

The AL assesses that there will be clashes between these two groups. The ruling party also thinks that they would gain politically as the group in parliament will be more powerful than the group outside.

In the 11th parliamentary election, only six won from BNP and two from Gono Forum. A total of eight candidates won from their electoral alliance, the Jatiya Oikya Front.

Two candidates, who were elected from Gono Forum, have already taken oath. Zahidur Rahman took oath on Thursday. There is a rumour that others elected from BNP may take oath too.

AL leaders said BNP is a big political party. They have huge support. Although six BNP men won the election, their presence in parliament means the presence of big political party.

AL leaders said the media will focus on the elected BNP MPs. So the BNP MPs in parliament will be no less powerful that the BNP outside the parliament. The AL will gain from this, the leaders said.

A presidium member of Awami League told Prothom Alo that the BNP MPs who will take oath, will be expelled from their party. But they will not disappear and they will get a platform in the parliament and their activities and statements will be published in the media, the AL leader added.

AL presidium member also said that the BNP leaders have been demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. If BNP MPs in parliament demand Khaleda's release, it will be more effective, the AL leader noted.

AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif on Friday urged the remaining BNP MPs to join parliament within the stipulated time. He welcomed Zahidur Rahman.

BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy told Prothom Alo that BNP will have no problem if a number of BNP MPs joined parliament. People will have no trust on those who will join parliament, the BNP leaders said.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said there is pressure from the government to take oath. An organising secretary of Awami League said the ruling partymen will expect that all join parliament. If BNP considers the expections of Awami League as pressure, that their business, the AL leader said.

Zahidur Rahman said remaining elected MPs from BNP, except Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will take oath.

He said in the parliament he will demand the release of Khaleda Zia and other leaders.

* This report published in Prothom Alo online edition has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam