Sultan Mansur ‘interested’ in taking oath as MP, Gono Forum refuses

Sultan Md Mansur Ahmed, the Jatiya Oikya Front candidate who won a parliamentary seat in the general election under the paddy sheaf symbol, has expressed his interest in taking his oath of office, but his party, the Gono Forum disagrees.

Sultan Mansur, who was elected from the Moulvibazar-2 seat, told bdnews24.com on Monday:

“What is there to say on the matter? I am positive of course!”

Sultan Mansur said that Sylhet-2 seat winner and Gono Forum candidate Mukabbir Khan ‘will also take the oath’, but did not indicate when the ceremony could be held.

“Despite great adversity, the people have elected us,” the former Awami League leader said. “It is my duty to represent the people. In this situation my role will be positive.”

In the Dec 30 polls Sultan Mansur ran under the paddy sheaf symbol, but Mukabbir Khan ran under the rising sun of his party. bdnews24.com was unable to get a response from Mukabbir Khan on whether he would take his oath.

But Gono Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury says the party remains unmoved from its decision to boycott parliament.

“Both Sultan Md Mansur Ahmed and Mukabbir Khan are Gono Forum Presidium members, both are on the Jatiya Oikya Front Steering Committee. They ran accordingly. One under the paddy sheaf, and another under the party symbol, which the Oikya Front supported.”

“Right now our decision is to boycott parliament and not take our oaths. You should ask them whether they want to sit as exceptions.”

Asked about the state of the alliance, Sultan Mansur told bdnews24.com:

“I ran in the election as a member of the Jatiya Oikya movement. Dr Kamal Hossain has already said that he regards the taking of oaths in a positive light.”

“Only Kamal Hossain will be able to say what the Oikya Front will do. I cannot tell you.”

The Awami League won 257 seats in the Dec 30 polls and has formed its third consecutive government. The BNP and its allies, including the Gono Forum led by Kamal Hossain, won only eight seats.

The BNP candidates who won are Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in Bogura-6, Mosharraf Hossain in Bogura-4, Zahidur Rahman in Thakurgaon-3, Aminul Islam in Chapainawabganj-2, Harun-ur-Rashid in Chapainawabganj-3 and Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan in Brahmanbaria-2.

The Jatiya Oikya Front, which includes the BNP, has boycotted the results of the polls and has called for a new election. The elected BNP leaders have not taken their oaths since the Election Commission rejected their calls.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, in her first address to the nation in her new term as prime minister, called for national unity for the development of the country and the benefit of the people.

She had called the opposition parties to take their seats in parliament, saying that though their representation was small, their objections and proposals would be given the ‘proper consideration’.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rejected the prime minister’s call, saying they had no plans to take oaths at present.

The first session of the 11th national parliament will sit on Jan 30, beginning its term.

According to the law, if winning candidates do not take their oaths of office and sign the legal agreement within 90 days of the start of the term, their seats will be considered vacant and by-elections will be held for them.