The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

MPs-elect belonging to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will take oath on January 15 instead of January 14.

Speaker Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar took the decision as the BNP sent a letter to requesting him to take the oath of its MPs-elect on the day.

"I have received a letter from BNP saying MPs-elect of the party wish to take their oath on at 4:00pm on Thursday (tomorrow)," the Speaker told reporters.

He said the schedule of oath taking has been shifted from Wednesday to Thursday because of their request.

The outgoing Speaker said the letter, signed by BNP vice-chairman and MP-elect MK Anwar, was forwarded to Secretary to the parliament secretariat for taking necessary measures.

Parliament Secretary Ashfaque Hamid said he has got the instruction from the Speaker for administration of oath tomorrow.

The outgoing speaker said BNP's newly-elected MP from Noakhali-1 constituency Mahbub Uddin Khokan would also be sworn in along with others.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, a component in the four-party alliance, yesterday sent a letter asking the Parliament Secretary to administer oath to its lone MP-elect Andaliv Rahman.

The Speaker said he would also administer oath to the BJP lawmaker-elect.

He further said he would administer oath to office whoever comes on the day.

Replying to a question, he brushed aside the possibility of going beyond constitutional authorities if he had administered oath to BNP MPs-elect He said he could still administer oath as per the constitution.