The newly-elected Members of Parliament were sworn in on Thursday, three days after the January 5 general elections. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury administered the oath to 284 lawmakers of 10th Parliament in the Oath Room of Jatiya Sangsad in the morning. Five lawmakers including Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad could not take oath due to either illness or out of the country.The Speaker first administered oath to 224 lawmakers of ruling Awami League and Jatiya Party (JP) including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and JP chief Anwar Hossain Manju at 10:15am.
In the second phase, she administered oath to 31 lawmakers of the opposition Jatiya Party including leader of the opposition Rawshan Ershad at about 11:15am. Party chairman HM Ershad, who is now undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), did not come to Parliament for taking oath. He is likely to take oath today or tomorrow, according to party sources.
In the third phase, the Speaker administered 12 lawmakers—6 of Workers Party including its president Rashed Khan Menon, 4 of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) including its president Hasanul Haque Inu and 1 each from Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Torikat Federation.
Later, she also administered oath to 17 MPs—3 of AL and 14 independent lawmakers—in four phases.
Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat Md Ashraful Maqbul conducted the swearing-in ceremony which started with recitation from the holy Quran.
After taking oath, the lawmakers signed the oath papers against their respective constituency and took their photographs.
On Wednesday, the Election Commission published gazette notification of 290 constituencies out of the total 300 seats.
Lawmakers took oath promising to discharge their duties by keeping above from their personnel interests.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Nazmul Hasan Papon of AL, Nasim Osman of Jatiya Party and Moinuddin Khan Badal, among others, did not take oath on Thursday.
Talking to reporters, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said those failed to take oath would be able to take their oath within one month of time. They will also be able to take more time showing any specific reason, she added.
Replying to a question about the absence of BNP in new Parliament, the Speaker said the scenario might be different to some extent since the January 5 elections were held wiout participation of the party.
On first session of 10th Parliament, she said the session would be summoned after formation of the new government. Notice will be served giving at least 15 days time, she added.
The oath taking ceremony was held amid tight security measures.
The MPs-elect include 153, who were elected unopposed, and the rest 137, who were elected on January 5 polls.
Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, who has been elected MP from two constituencies in the 10th parliamentary election, has taken oath as lawmaker of Gopalganj-3 and earlier she left the Rangpur-6 seat.
The results of Jessore-1 and Jessore- 2 are withheld as EC has filed cases against the MPs-elect of those constituencies over allegation code of conduct violation.
The EC has decided to hold reelection in some polling centres under eight constituencies on January 16.
Out of the 292 constituencies, the ruling AL obtained 232, Jatiya Party 33, Workers Party 6, JSD 5, and 1 each by Jatiya Party (Manju), Torikat Federation and BNF. Besides, independent candidates obtained 13 seats. – Staff Reporter
