The BNP will take actions against its MP-elect who took oath of office in parliament in defiance of the party’s decision against it, says Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking to Bangla Tribune on Thursday (Apr 25), he said, “The BNP’s decision to join parliament stands ... we will initiate organisational measures as soon as possible.”

Earlier in the day, Jahidur Rahman, who was elected from a Thakurgaon seat, became the first BNP MP in 11th Parliament after Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury sworn him in.

“I have gone against the party’s decision by taking the oath. I did it despite knowing that the party may expel me. But I’m with the party regardless of whether I’m expelled,” said Jahid told the media after taking his oath.

He said that he had contested the national elections thrice before the Dec 30 polls. He became the first BNP candidate to win the Thakurgaon-3 constituency at the 11th national elections.

Of the 300 candidates elected to the 11th parliament, 295 have now been sworn in.  Five BNP MPs-elect, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul, are yet to take their oaths.

The others are Aminul Islam of Chapainababganj-2, Harunur Rashid Chapainababganj-3, Mosharraf Hossain from Bogura-4 and Ukil Abdus Sattar of Brahmanbaria-2.

According to highly-placed sources within the BNP, at least one or two MPs-elect may take their oath within the next few days. They claimed BNP MPs-elect are being pressured by an “influential quarter within the government” to join parliament.