Mokabbir not taking take oath Thursday, Mansur ready

Gano Forum’s MP-elect from Sylhet-2 constituency Mokabbir Khan is not going to take oath on Thursday to join the 11th parliament due to an “unavoidable reason,” reports news agency UNB.

However, the party’s another MP-elect, Sultan Mohammad Mansur from Moulvibazar-2 constituency, will take oath at 11:00am as per the schedule fixed by speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.

“Mokabbir Khan, who elected MP from Sylhet-2 with Gano Forum’s election symbol ‘Rising Sun’ will not take oath tomorrow (Thursday) for an unavoidable reason,” said a Gano Forum press release on Wednesday.

Mokabbir told UNB that their party’s presidium member at a meeting, in presence of Kamal Hossain, today decided to defer schedule for his oath taking ceremony for a few days.

He said a new schedule will be declared later.

Mokabbir claimed that most presidium members of their party, including Kamal Hossain, want him to take oath as the MP.

“Our leaders will now discuss the issue with the alliance partners of the Jatiya Oikya Front, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and then announce the fresh schedule for taking oath,” he said.

Sultan Mohammad Mansur said he will take oath at 11:00am tomorrow (Thursday).

“I didn’t change my mind and schedule for taking oath. So, I’m going to be sworn in as per the schedule.”

On 3 March, both the MPs-elect sent separate letters to the speaker requesting her to organise their oath-taking ceremony on 7 March.

Later, the Speaker set 11:00am on Thursday for administrating the oath.

Mansur was elected MP from Moulvibazar-2 seat contesting the 30 December parliamentary elections as a Gano Forum candidate under Jatiya Oikya Front platform with BNP’s electoral symbol ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ while Mokabbir from Sylhet-2 constituency with Gano Forum’s election symbol ‘Rising Sun’.

The BNP along with the Gano Forum and some other parties joined the 30 December elections in alliance under the banner of Jatiya Oikya Front.

BNP bagged six seats while Gano Forum two in the elections.

The alliance turned down the election results bringing the allegation of ‘massive vote robbery’ and demanded re-election.

The first session of the new parliament sat on 30 January without the participation of the eight MPs-elect of Oikya Front.