Cabinet to take oath on JS South Plaza, not in Bangabhaban

In a first for the country, members of the new cabinet will take oath at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban instead of Bangabhaban. 

President Md Shahabuddin will administer the oath at 4pm on Tuesday, February 17.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin will administer the oath to the newly elected members of parliament.

Officials at the Cabinet Division and the Parliament Secretariat confirmed the development, saying preparations for the ceremony are already underway.

Voting in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election was held on Thursday, February 12, alongside a referendum.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is set to form the government after securing more than a two-thirds majority in the 300-seat parliament. 

A minimum of 151 seats is required to form a government independently. BNP has crossed the 200-seat mark, ensuring an absolute majority.

According to parliamentary procedure, after MPs are sworn in, the parliamentary party will meet to elect its leader. 

The elected leader will then meet the President to inform him of the party’s majority and stake a claim to form the government. 

The President will appoint the parliamentary party leader as Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister will subsequently select members of the cabinet, and the President will administer the oath to the Prime Minister, followed by ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is expected to be elected parliamentary party leader and sworn in as Prime Minister.

Article 56 of the Constitution provides for a cabinet headed by the Prime Minister, with other ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers as determined by the Prime Minister.

The Constitution also states that at least nine out of every 10 cabinet members must be appointed from among elected MPs. Up to one-tenth may be appointed from among individuals qualified to be elected as MPs, commonly referred to as technocrats.

After the oath-taking, the Cabinet Division will issue a gazette notification allocating portfolios.

The interim government will continue in office until the new cabinet is sworn in. Once the new government takes the oath, the Advisory Council of the interim administration will stand dissolved automatically.