BNP’s Rumeen takes oath as reserved seat MP

Rumeen Farhana, the BNP candidate for the reserved seat in parliament, has taken her oath of office.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury swore Rumeen into parliament on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Rumeen said, “This parliament does not have lawmakers elected by the people. I’ll be very happy  even if I'm an MP for just a day. I want a representative government to be formed soon through a participatory election.” 

Explaining her decision to join a parliament that she had described as 'illegal', Rumeen added, “It’s a clear issue for us. This is our democratic space. The spaces where we can be vocal are shrinking gradually. Therefore, the parliament is a good avenue which we can use to raise our voice for the country and its people. And that is why I ended up in parliament.” 

Of the 50 reserved seats in the 11th national parliament, 49 were won by uncontested by women MPs. The Awami League has 43 women MPs, the Jatiya Party has four while the Workers' Party and independents have one MP apiece.

The single reserved seat allocated to the BNP had been suspended before the party's MPs were sworn in.  

“We are the minority but we hope the parliament will provide enough space and time to every single person who speaks the truth. The government should provide this time and space for their own benefit,” said Rumeen.

On the issue of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's release from prison, the party's deputy secretary of international affairs said the former prime minister deserves immediate bail, considering the merit of the case against her, her age and social status.