Awami League (AL), Jatiyo Party (JaPa) and independent lawmakers elected on the 7 January polls have taken their oath as members of the parliament Wednesday.

The 11th Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oaths in a formal ceremony which began around 10:30am in the Oath Room of the Parliament Complex.

Earlier, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury took oath as a Member of the Parliament (MP).

At 12pm, JaPa parliament members took their oath, followed by MPs from the AL, independent and other political factions.

The oath

The newly elected MPs are taking the following oath as per the Third Schedule of the Article 148 of the Constitution of Bangladesh: 

"I, ............................., having been elected a member of Parliament do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter according to law: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to Bangladesh: And that I will not allow my personal interest to influence the discharge of my duties as a member of Parliament."

According to Article 148 (2A) of the constitution, the newly elected MPs are obligated to take the oath within three days of election results being published in an official gazette, otherwise, their memberships will be cancelled.

A gazette notification has been issued on Tuesday on the results of the 12th National Elections with details of 298 newly elected members of Parliament.

The new cabinet is set to be sworn in at Bangabhaban at 7pm on Thursday (11 January).

In the recently concluded national polls, the AL has bagged 222 out of 298 seats, and independent candidates – most also belonging to AL – won 62 seats. 

Among others, JaPa candidates were victorious in 11 seats, and three single candidates each from three parties – Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, and Bangladesh Kalyan Party –  secured victory in their respective constituencies.

After taking the oath, the AL parliamentary party will formally elect Sheikh Hasina as their leader and communicate its decision with the president to appoint her as prime minister for the fifth time since her first term in 1996.

The president will administer the oath to the new prime minister, who will then advise the head of state to appoint ministers and state ministers, handpicked by her, to form the new cabinet.

The 12th national polls saw 1,969 candidates vying for the JS across the country. Voting took place in 299 constituencies after voting in the Naogaon-2 constituency was postponed following the death of an independent candidate just days before the polls.

In addition, the result announcement of the Mymensingh-3 constituency has also been postponed owing to balloting at one centre being called off on election day on the grounds of irregularities.