BNP MP Harunur Rashid submits resignation to JS speaker

Md Harunur Rashid, Member of Parliament (MP) of Chapainawabganj-3, tendered his resignation to Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Thursday.

On December 11, five of seven lawmakers of BNP resigned as a part of the party’ anti-government movement with a 10-point demand that included dissolution of the parliament.

The MPs who resigned in person were Md Zahidur Rahman, Thakurgaon-3; Md Mosharof Hosen, Bogura-4; Gulam Mohammad Siraj, Bogura-6; Md Aminul Islam, Chapainawabganj-2 and Rumeen Farhana, Women’s Reserved Seat.

Md Harunur Rashid, who was in Australia and ailing MP of Brahmanbaria-2 Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan could not submit resignation to the speaker on that day.

Speaking to the reporters at the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday, Harunur Rashid said there is no scope for the speaker to refuse to accept the resignation letter.

“But the speaker told me that there is an opportunity to present the party’s demands in parliament if I don’t resign.”

“But there is no such opportunity anymore as six BNP MPs have already resigned,” he added.

He also said, “You all know that only seven were elected from the BNP in parliament that was formed through the dubious election in 2018. At that time we joined parliament on the instruction of our acting chairman and even today we are resigning as per the right decision of the acting chairman.”

He also said reformation of the constitution and laws along with a neutral government is needed for holding a fair election.

Harunur Rashid also demanded the release of BNP’s top leaders and activists who were arrested ‘in false and fabricated cases’ following the Naya Paltan clash on December 7.

On December 10, BNP’s international affairs secretary Rumeen Farhana announced the decision of  the resignation of the party’s MPs from its Golapbagh rally. The MPs sent their resignation through an email on the same day.

The party also unveiled a 10-point charter of demands from Golapbagh rally aimed at unseating the government through a simultaneous movement.

Meanwhile, the Parliament Secretariat published a gazette notification announcing the five parliamentary seats as vacant after their resignation.

The by-elections to the five vacant parliamentary seats of the BNP MPs will be held on February 1, announced the Election Commission (EC) on December 18.

The EC will conduct the by-polls to parliamentary seats — Thakurgaon-3, Bogura-4, Bogura-6, Chapainawabganj-2 and Brahmanbaria-2.