It’s a part of political tactic: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he will not take oath as a member of the 11th parliament upholding the party’s decision.

“It’s a part of our political tactic,” Fakhrul made his stance clear while addressing a programme at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka this noon.

Four BNP MPs yesterday took oath in line with the party decision, although party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who has also been elected from Bogura-6 constituency, did not do so. 

According to the constitutional provisions, yesterday was the last day for taking the oath but only the speaker of the house can approve the extension of the 90-day deadline.

While addressing a press conference hours after oath taking ceremony of BNP’s four MPs Fakhrul, responding to a query whether he would take the oath, said, “Wait and you will come to know in time.”

BNP and its Jatiya Oikyafront ally Gonoforum took a decision not to join the parliament bringing allegations of vote rigging, ballot stuffing and widespread of violence centring the election.

Two MPs elect from the Gonoforum took the oaths going against the decision, later BNP’s Zahidur Rahman elected from Thakurgaon-3 followed the same path.

BNP was rigid on its stance of not taking the oath and that has been told by its secretary general three days ago of the oath taken by its four lawmakers yesterday.

Earlier, at a programme in Dhaka, BNP Standing Committee Member Moudud Ahmed said that the party’s MPs-elect will not take the oath until Khaleda Zia is released from jail on bail.

However, ending all speculations, four BNP MPs, at last, took the oath as members of the 11th parliament in line with the party decision.

Fakhrul said some newspapers today published reports that he wrote to the Speaker requesting her to extend the time for taking the oath, citing illness.

“It’s a blatant lie. I did not send any letter or seek any time of my oath,” the BNP leader said trashing the media report.

“Now the newsmen can ask me why I didn’t take oath. It’s our party decision also a strategy and as part of the tactic, I didn’t send any letter for the oath.”

According to the global trend of politics, Fakhrul said that there is no chance to think like that all sorts of decisions will be kept prepared and fixed.

“There is a little bit of scope to speak in the parliament and thus we want to cash the opportunity by joining the parliament,” he said.

Claiming that many people are making many comments over BNP’s U-turn, Fakhrul said, “There is a bit of space and our big logic behind joining the parliament is to utilise the space.”

About those who are criticising BNP for joining the parliament, he said, “Nothing is static or fixed. Decision is changed in demand of time and we will have to bear in mind.”

“Our decision will be proved authentic and we believe that our decision on joining the parliament is right.”

Many people can raise questions why the decision was not taken earlier, Fakhrul said, “We didn't do so in face of different perspectives and now we are doing this in the context of reality.”