Members of Parliament elected from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the 13th National Parliament have decided not to accept duty-free vehicles or government housing plots provided under official privileges.

The newly elected BNP lawmakers held a meeting in the parliamentary party room shortly after 11:30 am today (Tuesday), following their oath-taking. BNP media cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan confirmed the development, stating that the meeting was chaired by party chairman Tarique Rahman.

According to him, the parliamentary party’s first meeting unanimously selected Tarique Rahman as the Leader of the House and Prime Minister.

Earlier, shortly before 11:00 am, BNP’s elected candidates took the oath as Members of Parliament at the oath room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin administered the oath. However, they declined to take the oath as members of the Constitutional Reform Commission.

Before the ceremony began, Cox’s Bazar-1 MP and BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed instructed party lawmakers present in the oath room, stating that they were elected under the Constitution as Members of Parliament and not as members of the reform body.

Around noon, Tarique Rahman left the parliament building for his residence in Gulshan, arriving there at approximately 12:40 pm, party sources said.

The cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in at 4:00 pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban under the open sky, where Tarique Rahman is expected to take the oath as Prime Minister.