Ershad takes oath as member of parliament

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has been sworn in as a lawmaker for the 11th national parliament after he arrived at the parliament building in a wheelchair.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury swore the former military ruler into parliament at her office on Sunday at a ceremony moderated by Parliament Secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan.

The 87-year-old Ershad was unable to leave the wheelchair of his own accord due to illness. He was then helped up by his brother GM Quader, co-chairman of the Jatiya Party.

The speaker asked after Ershad’s health and other issues following the swearing-in ceremony.

MPs from the Jatiya Party, including Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Shameem Haider Patwary, Fakhrul Imam and Pir Fazlur Rahman, were present on the occasion.

Later, Ershad went to the office of the parliament secretary in his wheelchair to sign the book for parliamentarians.

On last Thursday, 21 MPs elected from the Jatiya Party were sworn in without Ershad.

Ershad, who made several dramatic moves around the time of the election, had already stated that his party would lead the opposition in parliament. He would be the leader of the opposition with GM Quader acting as the deputy leader.

Mashiur Rahman Ranga, general secretary of the party, will be the chief whip of the opposition.

Ershad, who was initially contesting the Rangpur-3 and Dhaka-17 seats in the Dec 30 election, flew to Singapore for medical treatment shortly before the polls.

On his return from Singapore, he withdrew his candidacy for the Dhaka-17 seat in support of the Awami League candidate, Akbar Hossain Pathan Farook, an actor.

He could not take part in the election campaign for health reasons, but won the election from the Rangpur-3 seat.