Bangladesh News

Although the lawmakers-elect of the four-party alliance have decided to take oath, BNP and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) are yet to fix the date for swearing-in.

However, a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key component of the four-party combine, said the two lawmakers-elect of the party are likely to take oath today.

Meanwhile, BNP asked its party leaders and activists across the country to make necessary preparations for the upcoming upazila polls slated for January 22.

Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar is ready to administer oath to the lawmakers-elect of the four-party alliance, along with the independent lawmakers-elect today.

Several BNP Standing Committee members told The Daily Star that the party’s lawmakers-elect will surely take oath but BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is yet to fix the date.

The Parliament Secretariat has already invited the lawmakers-elect of the four-party alliance to take oath today.

As per the country’s constitution, if they fail to take oath today, they can be sworn in by the Chief Election Commissioner within the next three days.

If they fail to do so, they will get another chance to be sworn in by the new speaker within 90 days from the first working session of the parliament.

BNP Vice-Chairman MK Anwar told The Daily Star that the party’s lawmakers-elect would take oath but the date is yet to be fixed

BNP standing committee members RA Ghani and M Shamsul Islam also made similar remarks.

Sources close to BNP chief Khaleda Zia told The Daily Star last night that the party’s lawmakers-elect might not take oath today.

“Why should we hurry to take oath when we have enough time in our hand,” said a close aide to the BNP chairperson.

RIZVI’S BRIEFING
BNP Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed said a few newspapers reported that BNP has asked its candidates to withdraw candidature for the upazila election, which is not true.

“We have directed the upazila-level party leaders to work for the dedicated and honest candidates in the upazila polls to have success in the election,” he said at a press briefing at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office in the capital.

Referring to the news reports on BNP-backed candidates’ withdrawal of candidature for upazila polls following directives from BNP’s central body, he said, “The news is completely baseless.”

Rizvi also alleged that Awami League activists are harassing BNP leaders and activists and their family members across the country after the parliamentary polls.

He alleged that many BNP leaders and activists were tortured in Feni, Jhenidah, Laxmipur, Gazipur, Tangail, Noakhali, Manikganj, Narayanganj and Bhola in the last 24 hours.