Early snag for Constitution Reform Council

The Constitution Reform Council suffered a setback yesterday as BNP’s elected representatives took oath as MPs but declined to be sworn in as members of the council.

Three lawmakers from BNP allies, along with several independents, followed suit.

The decision by more than two-thirds of the MPs has cast uncertainty over the formation and functioning of the Council, proposed under the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025.

The move initially drew a strong reaction from Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party and their allies, whose elected candidates at first refused to take oath.

However, they were later sworn in by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin as both MPs and council members around 12:30pm.

BNP MP-elects took their oath of office at the oath-taking room of the Jatiya Sangsad around 10:45am. This marks only the second time in the country’s history that the CEC has administered lawmakers’ oaths in the absence of the Speaker of parliament.

Under the order, members of the 13th Parliament are to serve a dual role: as MPs performing regular legislative duties and as Council members tasked with reforming 48 constitutional provisions outlined in the July National Charter within 180 working days. They are therefore required to take two separate oaths: one as legislators and another as council members.

Just before the ceremony, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed briefed fellow MP-elects.

“We were not elected as members of the Constitution Reform Council, and this has not yet been incorporated into the Constitution… According to the referendum’s verdict, if the Commission is to be formed, it must first be incorporated into the Constitution, and provisions must be made regarding who will administer the oath to its members.”

He added that constitutionally, provisions for council members to take oath can only be made after it is adopted in parliament.

“Therefore, constitutionally, this is as far as we have come. We are proceeding in accordance with the Constitution and hope to continue doing so in the days ahead,” he said.

After being sworn in, BNP lawmakers signed the oath book as per tradition and held a parliamentary party meeting.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described the occasion as “historic,” citing the party’s return to Parliament through “a fair election” after “a long fascist government’s repression, destruction of democracy, and making the parliament ineffective, and after much bloodshed of the people”.

“In this parliament, with a majority of seats, we have elected our leader, Tarique Rahman, as the leader of the House,” he said.

Fakhrul also said the parliamentary party had decided that BNP MPs would not accept duty-free cars or government plots.

Salahuddin told reporters, “From today, change begins. Becoming a member of parliament will no longer mean being above everyone else.”

Asked about the July National Charter, he said, “We are committed and pledged to fully uphold the July National Charter, which was signed as a document of political consensus.”

Meanwhile, Independent MP Rumeen Farhana and BNP’s Ishraque Hossain, who arrived late, were sworn in as MPs with Jamaat members. After taking oath as MPs, both left the chamber before the swearing-in of council members began.

After initially aligning with Jamaat over the oath issue, National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam and six of its elected MPs took oath as both MPs and Council members after 1:00pm.

Hasnat Abdullah, a prominent leader of the July uprising, took oath wearing the same jersey he was seen in during the 2024 protests.

After the swearing-in ceremony, NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen criticised the BNP, saying an overwhelming majority had voted “yes” in the referendum.

“It is against this popular mandate that BNP has taken its current position. And we know that, in the end, BNP too will be compelled to take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council. With the people by our side, we reaffirm our stance,” he said.

Asked about the new Parliament, Rumeen Farhana, MP from Brahmanbaria-2, said she sees little difference from previous ones.

“In the last three elections, BNP did not participate. That is why those parliaments were often called one-sided. In this election, Awami League is not present. From that perspective, at least 30 percent of the people of Bangladesh have no representation. So honestly, I don’t see a huge difference,” she said.