The Parliament Secretariat on Saturday published a gazette naming Jatiya Party (JP) senior presidium member Raushan Ershad as leader of the opposition in the 10th Parliament.
Raushan, also a former first lady, was elected MP from Mymensingh-4 in the much-talked-about election held on January 5.
Joynal Abedin, Director (PR) at the Parliament Secretariat, confirmed UNB about the gazette notification.
Earlier, the JP in its parliamentary meeting decided to make Raushan opposition leader and a resolution in this regard was handed over to Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury for her consideration, JP presidium member Mujibul Haque Chunnu told UNB.
Later, the Speaker accepted the resolution and ordered publication of the gazette notification, he added.
With the latest development, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who had been elected either prime minister or leader of the opposition since restoration of democracy in 1991, will no longer be able to avail of government facility and status this time as her party boycotted the election.
Sheikh Hasina is all set to become the Prime Minister for two successive terms with a new cabinet taking charge on Sunday while Jatiya Party Presidium Member Raushan Ershad is now officially the leader of the opposition.
Earlier in the day, JP Chairman HM Ershad, an unpredictable character in Bangladesh politics, took oath as a member of the 10th parliament apparently ending his month-long drama just a day before the formation of the new government.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oath at her office at the Sangsad Bhaban at noon, according to a media release issued by the Parliament Secretariat.
Ershad has been elected MP from Rangpur-3 constituency.
Awami League MP Nazmul Hasan (Kishoreganj-6), Jatiya Party MP (Narayanganj-5) Nasim Osman and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal MP (Chittagong-8) Mainuddin Khan Badal also took oath today administered by the Speaker.
On Thursday, a total of 284 members of parliament (MPs) elected in the January 5 parliamentary election were sworn in.
There had been a serious confusion about Jatiya Party’s stance over the January 5 polls as its chairman Ershad, a former military ruler, staged a series of dramas before the elections.
Amid the deepening confusion, its presidium member Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud announced the party election manifesto with a call for change in political culture to restore ‘peace and stability’ in the country.
On the day, Anisul Islam told the media that each and every word of the election manifesto that he had read out was formulated by him (JP chief HM Ershad).
Source: UNB Connect
