I’ll take oath in due time, says Mansur

Jatiya Oikyafront leader Sultan Mohammad Mansur, who was elected from Moulvibazar-2 constituency in the December 30 national election, has said that he would take oath and join the parliament.

“I will take oath at appropriate time after recovering from my illness,” Mansur said this while talking to The Daily Star Bangla today.

Mansur took part in the election from Moulvibazar-2 constituency with BNP’s electoral symbol “Sheaf of Paddy.”

Gonoforum President and Convener of Jatiya Oikyafront Dr Kamal Hossain, after a steering committee meeting of the alliance yesterday, asked two of its MPs-elect to refrain from joining the parliament.  

Responding to a query over Kamal’s request to refrain from taking the oath, Mansur said, “I don’t belong to the Gonoforum.”

“Gonoforum took its own decision but I am not a Gonoforum leader. I am quite an individual. I was a leader of the Jatiya Oikyafront,” Mansur said.

A former vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and president of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Mansur has risen as high as to the position of organising secretary in the Awami League.

The ruling Awami League has formed government for the third consecutive term after securing 258 constituencies while the Oikyafront bagged eight seats in the 11th parliamentary election.

The alliance rejected the results of the 11th parliamentary election and asked their candidates, who won the elections, not to take the oath as MPs.

Amid the situation, the first session of the new parliament began on Wednesday without the participation of the eight MPs-elect of Oikyafront.