Dhaka, Feb 17 (.) Bangladesh appears to be teetering towards renewed political turbulence as a new government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is prepared to assume office on Tuesday. Coalition partners, including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens Party (NCP), threatened to boycott the oath-taking ceremony and launch protests over the non-implementation of the July Charter.
The standoff revolves around the requirement for newly elected lawmakers to take two separate oaths following last week’s unprecedented twin vote, the 13th parliamentary election and a national referendum on the July Charter, a reform framework aimed at overhauling key aspects of the Constitution and democratic institutions.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a two-thirds majority amid allegations of electoral irregularities, while the July Charter referendum passed with 62% approval. Under the Charter, the new parliament is to act as a Constitutional Reform Council for 180 days, effectively functioning as a Constituent Assembly to amend the Constitution.
Although the BNP had signed the July Charter, party leaders had expressed reservations, arguing that the process lacked consultation. On Tuesday, senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, alongside party chief Tarique Rahman, announced that BNP MPs would take the parliamentary oath but not the additional oath as members of the Reform Council.
The move drew strong reactions from Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens Party (NCP), who see constitutional reform as central to the post-protest political transition.
Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, Jamaat’s Naib-e-Ameer, told Prothom Alo that if BNP lawmakers refused the reform council oath, the group’s elected representatives would abstain from taking any oath.
NCP leaders took a similar stance, with joint convener Monira Sharmin confirming that six MPs-elect had traveled to parliament but their participation remained uncertain. Abdullah Al Amin, NCP MP-elect from Narayanganj-4, said, “We are considering not taking the oath as BNP MPs have not taken the oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Council. However, we do not want to make a final decision at this moment.”
Tensions have been further fueled by allegations of election manipulation and post-poll violence, including an alleged gang-rape in Noakhali. Both Jamaat and NCP have threatened continued street protests, criticising the BNP government and calling for accountability.
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