Fakhrul’s constituency declared vacant

The constituency of MP-elect and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been declared vacant as he has not taken oath within the time stipulated in the constitution.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury informed this to the parliament on Tuesday.

“According to the constitution, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was supposed to take oath as a member of parliament within 90 days since the parliament’s maiden session. But as he failed to comply with the rule, his constituency has now fallen vacant,” the speaker said.

BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul was elected as an MP from Bogura-6 constituency in the 11th parliamentary election held on 30 December 2018.

In the recent general election, the BNP-led Jatiya Oikya Front secured eight seats out of 300. Of those, BNP won six, while its ally Gano Forum bagged two.

Five of the BNP MPs have already been sworn in.

Mirza Fakhrul said, as part of their party's strategy, he was not going to take oath as an MP.

According to Article 67 of the constitution, a member of parliament shall vacate his or her seat if he or she fails to take oath or affirm to do so within the 90 days from the date of the first meeting of parliament after the election.

"...the Speaker may, before the expiration of that period, for good cause extend it," said the same article of the constitution.

Mirza Fakhrul did not send any letter to the speaker seeking extension of time.