Not taking oath as party strategy: Fakhrul

May 01, 2019 00:00:00

Trashing all the media speculations, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said he was not going to take oath as a member of parliament (MP) as a part of their party's strategy, reports UNB.

"Some TV channels and newspapers are running news that I've sought time (from Speaker) for taking oath which is a blatant lie. I've neither sent any letter nor sought any time," Fakhrul said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, "Now you can ask me why I'm not taking oath when my party has decided to join parliament. I can say it's also a strategy of our party."

He said there was no election on December 30 as the ruling party men rigged vote on December 29 depriving people of their voting rights. "That's why we had decided not to take oath, but no decision is unchangeable."

The BNP leader said they sent MPs to parliament to use the minimum scope for raising voice as other democratic spaces have got squeezed.

Fakhrul said, "Time will tell whether their decision of joining parliament is right or wrong but we think it's the right decision as we've taken it based on reality."

He also turned down the media report on their party's negotiation with the government over joining parliament. "Had Khaleda Zia made any compromise she could have been Prime Minister many times ago. Khaleda Zia is a leader who never compromises when it comes to principle and we're moving ahead upholding her principle."

AWAJ Foundation, a human right organisation, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club protesting the killing of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

On Monday, Fakhrul said BNP's MPs-elect have taken oath at party acting chairman Tarique Rahman's instruction as part of their movement for having Khaleda Zia freed from jail and to restore democracy.

Earlier, BNP's four MPs-elect -- Advocate Abdus Sattar (Brahmanbaria-2), Harun-ur Rashid Harun (Chapainawabganj-3), Aminul Islam (Chapainawabganj-2) and Mosharraf Hossain (Bogura-4) -- took oath as members of the 11th parliament, following the footstep of Zahidur Rahman Zahid (Thakurgaon-3).