Dhaka, Feb 17 (V7N) — The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced that its elected representatives will not take oath as members of the proposed Constitution Reform Council for now, arguing that the body has not yet been constitutionally established.

The party’s stance was formally conveyed by Salahuddin Ahmed, BNP’s elected lawmaker from Cox’s Bazar-1, ahead of the oath-taking ceremony held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters while holding two official forms, Salahuddin Ahmed said that BNP lawmakers had not been elected as members of the Constitution Reform Council and that no constitutional framework currently exists for such an oath. He emphasized that if the council is formed in accordance with the referendum verdict, it must first be incorporated into the constitution.

He further explained that provisions specifying eligibility and oath procedures would need to be included in the Third Schedule of the constitution and adopted by parliament before any members could legitimately take oath. “We have followed the constitution so far and hope to continue doing so in the coming days,” he said, adding that he conveyed the party’s decision on instructions from its chairman.

Despite the BNP’s position, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin administered the oath to the attendees present at the ceremony.

The development highlights ongoing legal and procedural debates surrounding the formation of the Constitution Reform Council and its role in the country’s evolving political framework.