NCP announces boycott of cabinet oath ceremony over reform council snub

Party lawmakers complete both oaths despite early standoff over Constitution Reform Council

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has refused to attend the swearing-in of the new cabinet after BNP lawmakers declined to take the Constitution Reform Council oath.

The announcement came on Tuesday via the party’s Facebook page after its six MPs were sworn in as parliamentarians and reform council members.

After the BNP and its alliance partners opted out of the council pledge earlier in the day, Jamaat-e-Islami and its ally the NCP had initially indicated that they would refrain from taking any oath unless the BNP joined the reform council process.

After internal discussions, lawmakers from both parties eventually took their oaths separately.

The new cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in at 4pm on Tuesday at the South Plaza of the parliament complex, with President Mohammed Shahabuddin set to administer the oath.

However, around 1:30pm, the NCP announced that its members would skip the ceremony, citing BNP’s refusal to join the reform council.