Dhaka: President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath to the new cabinet members at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday afternoon. This event marks a departure from the traditional venue of Bangabhaban for such ceremonies.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Secretary of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat Kaniz Maula announced that the oath-taking ceremony for the new cabinet members is scheduled for 4 pm on Tuesday. Earlier that day, the swearing-in of the newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) will take place in the morning.
The Cabinet Division and the Parliament Secretariat commenced preparations for the ceremony on Saturday, following the 13th parliamentary elections. This year, the ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, breaking a long-standing tradition.
Cabinet Secretary M Siraj Mia will conduct the oath-taking ceremony. The interim government and relevant authorities are actively working to ensure the event proceeds smoothly.
As per established rules, after the swearing-in of the newly elected MPs, the Parliamentary Board of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which has secured a majority, will convene to elect its parliamentary leader. The party leader will then seek an audience with the President to confirm the party’s majority in Parliament and formally request the appointment as Prime Minister.
Subsequently, the President will appoint the party leader as Prime Minister, who will then select the cabinet members. President Shahabuddin, as the Head of State, will first administer the oath to the Prime Minister, followed by the ministers, state ministers, and deputy ministers.
The constitution mandates that elected members take their oath within three days of the gazette notification. The Election Commission published the gazette for 297 out of 299 seats in the 13th parliamentary election on Friday night. In these elections, the BNP, led by its Chairman Tarique Rahman, secured an absolute majority by winning 209 seats. Jamaat-e-Islami, a former ally, will assume the role of the main opposition party with 68 seats, while other parties and independent candidates have claimed the remaining seats.
Traditionally, the President administers the oath at Bangabhaban, making the choice of Jatiya Sangsad South Plaza for this ceremony noteworthy.