Salahuddin Ahmed, the newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Cox’s Bazar-1 and a member of the standing committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has confirmed that he and other newly elected BNP MPs will not take the oath as members of the proposed Constitutional Amendment Council.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday morning outside the National Parliament building, moments before the formal swearing-in of newly elected MPs, Salahuddin Ahmed stated, “None of us have been elected as members of the Constitutional Amendment Council. This reflects the official position of our party.” He further emphasised, “The newly elected BNP MPs will not take the oath in this council. This is a collective, party-level decision.”
Salahuddin Ahmed clarified that the council is not yet formally recognised in the Constitution. “We were not elected for this council, and the Constitution does not currently provide any provision for it. Should the council be formed following the national referendum, its establishment must first be enshrined in the Constitution. Only then can members lawfully take the oath,” he explained.
He added that taking the oath as a council member can only become constitutionally binding after parliamentary approval. “At present, we are fulfilling our duties strictly according to the Constitution, and we intend to continue doing so in the future,” Salahuddin Ahmed affirmed.
The process for constitutional amendments is set to commence following the national referendum scheduled in July, in which the ‘Yes’ vote prevailed, approving the amendments. Under the current plan, the Constitutional Amendment Council would be constituted from elected representatives of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. MPs would first take the parliamentary oath and then the council oath. However, the BNP has already stated that its newly elected MPs will only participate in the second step once the legal framework is formally established.
Key Information
| Subject | Details |
|---|---|
| Constituency | Cox’s Bazar-1 |
| MP | Salahuddin Ahmed |
| Political Party | BNP (Standing Committee Member) |
| Oath-Taking | Will take oath as MPs; not for Constitutional Amendment Council |
| Constitutional Amendment Council | BNP MPs will abstain; not yet included in Constitution |
| Referendum Outcome | ‘Yes’ vote prevailed; amendment approved |
Political analysts observe that the reluctance of some parties to participate in the council has reignited debates over procedural transparency and the necessity of a clear legal framework, particularly regarding oath-taking and the council’s constitutional status. The ongoing situation is expected to trigger further parliamentary discussion, ensuring adherence to constitutional processes while safeguarding inclusive political participation.