The BNP has expelled Jahidur Rahman, who took oath of office in parliament in defiance of the party’s decision against it.
Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the decision to the media on Saturday (Apr 27) following a meeting of the party’s highest policymaking forum National Standing Committee at the party chief’s Gulshan offices.
"The party had decided that the MPs-elect will not take oath to their offices... Jahidur Rahman, who was elected from Thakurgaon-3, has been expelled from the party, including his primary membership revoked, for joining parliament," he said.
Jahid became the first BNP lawmaker in the 11th Parliament on Thursday (Apr 25), when Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury swore 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 he told the media after taking his oath.
Later in the day, Mirza Fakhrul told Bangla Tribune that the party will take actions against him very soon.
Of the 300 candidates elected to the 11th parliament, 295 have now been sworn in. Five BNP MPs-elect, including Mirza Fakhrul who won from a Bogura seat, are yet to take their oaths.
The others are Aminul Islam from Chapainababganj-2, Harunur Rashid at Chapainababganj-3, Mosharraf Hossain at Bogura-4 and Ukil Abdus Sattar from Brahmanbaria-2.
The BNP alleges that its MPs-elect were being pressured by the government to join the parliament, which the ruling party, including its chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have dismissed.
According to highly-placed sources within the BNP, at least one or two MPs-elect may take oath to their offices within the next few days.
Also read
BNP’s Jahidur Rahman takes oath
