All 298 newly-elected lawmakers of the 12th Parliamentary Election took oath of office at Jatiyo Sangsad on Wednesday (Jan 10). Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury first took oath herself as per the rules of procedure and put signature on the letter of oath. The Speaker then administered the oath of office to the Awami League MPs, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at the Oath Room of the Sangsad Bhaban. Later, the 62 independent candidates who won national polls from their respective constituencies were sworn in, local media reported.
The Speaker also administered the oath to 11 MPs of Jatiyo Party. Two MPs of Workers Party and Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, who won the election with the Awami League electoral symbol Boat took oath as well. The lone Kalyan Party MP was also sworn in with independents. Senior Secretary of JS Secretariat Abdus Salam conducted the oath-taking ceremony which began with recitation from the holy Quran.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina entered the Oath Room clad in sky coloured Jamdani sharee. After the oath, all the ruling party lawmakers including PM Sheikh Hasina joined parliamentary committee meeting at the Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban.
According to the Election Commission Gazette, Bangladesh Awami League, led by Hasina, won 222 out of 298 seats, more than enough for her party to form a straight fourth five-year term government since January 2009, after winning power for the first time in 1996.
The Election Commission published the gazette on 298 elected lawmakers on Tuesday.
Polls to one constituency, Naogaon-2, were postponed following the death of a candidate in December, 2023.
