Bangladesh’s newly-elected MPs likely to take oath on Feb 17 after BNP’s sweeping win

The newly-elected members of Bangladesh’s Parliament will take oath on February 17 after Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept the 13th parliamentary elections with a two-thirds majority. The newly-elected 297 members of parliament (MPs) will take oaths on February 17, said Kaniz Moula, secretary of the Parliament Secretariat.

“The swearing-in ceremony will be held on February 17 [Tuesday],” Kaniz Moula told The Daily Star.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin is expected to administer the oath of office to the new cabinet of BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, officials said.

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Cabinet Secretary Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid told reporters at the Secretariat earlier on Saturday that the cabinet’s oath-taking could take place in the next three to four days. Chief Adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam also gave a similar indication.

As per the Constitution, the president first administers the oath to the new prime minister at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace. Subsequently, he will administer the oaths to the ministers, state ministers, and deputy ministers.

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BNP is all set to form the government after securing more than a two-thirds majority in the 13th national parliamentary election.

The Constitution requires the cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony to be followed by the swearing-in of new parliament members.

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The cabinet secretary said the Constitution says the MPs-elect must take oath within three days of the gazette notification and then the majority party would elect its parliamentary leader. The gazette notification was issued on Saturday morning.

Law ministry officials said, since the gazette notification was issued on Saturday, the three-day period for the oath taking could be considered from Sunday, covering 15, 16, and 17 February.