The newly-elected parliament members in Bangladesh took oath of office in Dhaka on Thursday.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, who chaired the 10th parliament, first took oath on her own as per parliamentary rules.
She then administered the oath of office to the Awami League MPs-elect including Sheikh Hasina.
The members of other Grand Alliance partners, including former president HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party, were sworn in thereafter. The Jatiya Party has won 22 seats, becoming the second largest bloc in parliament.
The seven MPs-elect of opposition National Unity Front (NUF) boycotted the ceremony.
The NUF, with Bangladesh Nationalist Party, being its key partner, has rejected the election, calling it a “farce” and demanded fresh polls under a non-party caretaker government.
Prime Minister Hasina, however, dismissed the accusations.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitutional provisions, MPs-elect must take oath within three months or forfeit their seats.
Sheikh Hasina is likely to be sworn in as the prime minister on January 10 for the third consecutive term and a record fourth time.
