BNP abstained as no provision of administering oath for Constitution Reform Council: Salahuddin
Referring to Article 148(2A) of the Constitution, he said that in the absence or inability of the speaker and deputy speaker, the Election Commissioner is empowered to administer the oath within three days
BNP Standing Committee Member and MP Salahuddin Ahmed has said that their oath was administered in line with constitutional provisions, but they did not take any oath as members of a proposed Constitution Reform Council, as there is no such provision in the Constitution.
He made the statement after taking the oath as a member of parliament at the Jatiya Sangsad today (17 February) and attending BNP's parliamentary party meeting.
Explaining why they did not take the oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council, Salahuddin said that to reflect the will of the people as expressed in the referendum, it is first necessary to enter parliament and carry out the required laws and constitutional reforms.
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Once the Constitution is amended, the person administering the oath and the form of the oath will be included in the Third Schedule of the Constitution, he added.
He noted that under Article 148(2A) of the Constitution, if the speaker and deputy speaker are unable to administer the oath, the Chief Election Commissioner is empowered to do so within three days. Following this provision, the chief election commissioner administered the oath to the MPs.
Salahuddin emphasised that there is no constitutional provision for a "Constitutional Reform Council," nor does the Chief Election Commissioner have the authority to administer any oath for such a body. He added that the CEC did not approach them to take any such oath, and they did not take it either.
He again added that all actions must be conducted constitutionally and that the BNP has so far adhered to constitutional procedures and will continue to do so in the future.
Salahuddin also said that the BNP parliamentary party elected Tarique Rahman as its leader today. A letter has been sent to the president requesting the opportunity for him, as the leader of the majority party, to form the government.
Tarique Rahman is expected to take the oath as prime minister today at 4pm, he added.
