BNP MPs refuse to take oath as members of Constitution Reform Council

The party says the council must first be incorporated into the Constitution before any oath can be administered

Newly elected BNP MPs have been sworn in as members of the 13th parliament but have declined to take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council.

The decision was announced on Tuesday morning at the parliament oath room before the swearing-in ceremony by BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed.

He said the Constitution Reform Council would have to be incorporated into the Constitution first, including clear provisions on who would administer the oath and under what legal framework.

“There is currently no such provision in the Constitution”, he added.

He said that although a blank oath format exists in the Constitution’s Third Schedule, any specific provision for a reform council would have to be incorporated through a constitutional amendment and approved by parliament before its members could legally be sworn in.

“As things stand, we have acted within the limits of the Constitution,” he said.

Salahuddin added that the BNP was acting in accordance with the Constitution and would continue to do so.

The decision had been taken on the instruction of party chief Tarique Rahman, according to him.

Later, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin administered the oath to members of the majority party, the BNP.

Standing together, the lawmakers repeated the oath after the chief election commissioner, pledging to “faithfully discharge” their duties in accordance with the law, to bear “true faith and allegiance” to Bangladesh, and not to allow personal interests to influence their responsibilities as MPs.

They then signed the oath register, writing the names of their respective constituencies. The ceremony was conducted by Parliament Secretary Kaniz Moula.

On Monday, the Parliament Secretariat said newly elected members would first take the oath as MPs before any swearing-in for the Constitution Reform Council.

Following the “Yes” vote in the referendum held alongside the national election, the responsibility for implementing the reform proposals included in the July Charter will rest with the council.

The BNP, however, says it will take the council oath only after parliament passes the necessary provisions.