Dhaka: Ahead of Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony as Prime Minister, political tensions have emerged in Bangladesh. Following its decisive election victory, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced that its elected MPs will not take the oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council, dealing a significant blow to the agenda of interim leader Muhammad Yunus.
BNP sources told leading media outlet Pratham Alo that the party’s decision was directed by Chairman Tarique Rahman. Salahuuddin Ahmad, the BNP MP from Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency, clarified that none of the party’s MPs were elected to the Constitutional Reform Council and instructed them not to sign any council forms. He emphasized that any action regarding the council can only occur after formal constitutional adoption in the National Parliament.
The move effectively stalls Yunus’s reform agenda, which was viewed as a mechanism to influence the next government and potentially reshape Bangladesh’s democratic framework. Editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury of Blitz noted that the BNP’s refusal blocks attempts to undermine the parliamentary process through the Reform Council.
Meanwhile, the BNP’s newly elected MPs completed their parliamentary oath-taking at the South Plaza of the National Parliament, administered by Chief Election Commissioner Nasir Uddin at 10:42 AM on Tuesday. Initially, it was reported that following the MPs’ oath, the Chief Election Commissioner would administer oaths to the Reform Council members. However, the BNP has now clarified that its MPs will not participate.
Adding to the political friction, Jamaat-e-Islami has threatened to boycott its oath-taking. Deputy Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Tahir stated that unless BNP MPs abstain from joining the Reform Council, Jamaat MPs will also refuse to take the oath, considering a council-less parliament invalid. The Jamaat-e-Islami oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday at 12:00 PM.
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