Moulvibazar-2 lawmaker Sultan Mohammad Mansur became the first leader to take oath in Parliament against the party’s decision. Although there were plenty of cases where the lawmakers changed allegiance, Mansur’s case is the first of its kind.
Mansur, a former Awami League leader, contested the Dec 30 polls with a Gano Forum ticket which was part of the political alliance Jatiya Oikya Front.
Given that BNP was the largest party in the coalition, Oikya Front candidates contested with the electoral symbol ‘paddy sheaf’ and won eight seats with BNP winning six and Gano Forum winning two.
The alliance, however, boycotted the election result alleging vote rigging and announced that its MP-elects will not be taking oath.
Mansur who used to sit on the policymaking Steering Committee of the Oikya Front overrode both the party and alliance’s decision and took oath on Thursday (Mar 7), saying that he did so with the “full knowledge” of the top brass.
He was ousted from Gano Forum, the same day he took oath of office. He was granted “primary membership” of the party on Nov 10 last year.
Politicians say that once or twice in the past, it has happened that a leader who switched sides was given a chair in the Cabinet.
However, not taking oath despite winning a seat in the Parliament is a new phenomenon in the political history of Bangladesh. Moreover, Mansur has set a new record by flouting his own party’s decision in this manner.
Article 67 of the constitution says that a Member of Parliament shall vacate his seat if he fails within the period of ninety days from the date of the first meeting of Parliament after his election, to take oath. Meaning, the seven other Oikya Front MP elects have till April to be sworn-in by the Speaker.
Oikya Front spokesperson and BNP secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, however, said that they are adamant on their decision to not go to Parliament.
“Back in 1954 it was common for politician to switch sides easily. It was known as horse trading back then,” Gano Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury told Bangla Tribune.
He said that there was chaos as the elected leaders didn’t stick to supreme decisions, which is why Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman directed Dr Kamal Hossain to stop it constitutionally.
“Article 70 of the constitution incorporated for this reason,” he added.
Subrata who also sits on Oikya Front’s steering committee said that since Mansur was ousted, he was neither a ‘paddy sheaf’ nor a Gano Forum leader. “He has no party now.”
Meanwhile, political writer and researcher Mahiuddin Ahmed disagreed with Sunrata saying that Masur taking oath shouldn’t really come as a surprise and a big deal shouldn’t be made out of it.
Political analysts feel that Mansur’s oath taking is a clear outcome of the indiscipline that exists in Bangladesh’s politics.
Mahiuddin Ahmed said that there have been cases where a political leader’s Parliamentary membership was still valid despite them being banished from the party.
He cited Jatiya Party’s HM Golam Razzak whose membership was valid despite being banished from the party during the 9th Parliament. The same way BNP leader Abu Hena’s membership was valid during the 8th Parliament.
“As far as I know Sultan Mansur is an Awami League man. He has never resigned from the party, neither was he banished,” said Ahmed.
“He is an AL man through and through but he was marked as a reform seeker. But a lot of reform seekers have been incorporated into the party later on,” he added.
Several Oikya Front leaders have said that they are looking into how valid Mansur’s oath taking is.
Subrata Chowdhury said that they will write to the Parliament, citing Article 70 of the constitution to cancel his membership.