A pale HM Ershad was present in the swear-in ceremony of the new cabinet of the 10th parliament at Bangabhaban on Sunday afternoon.
Ershad was sitting in first row of the function. He took the seat in the left side of his wife Rawshan Ershad who also sat beside the left side of newly sworn-in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana took seat in her right side in the same row.
The ex-military ruler had changed his decision now and then whether his party would take part in the polls or not. He directed his party men to withdraw nomination papers; however the election commission did not withdraw all the nomination papers.
Unfolding all speculations, Ershad contested in two constituencies and won the Rangpur-3 constituency losing the Lalmonirhat-1.
He took oath as MP on Friday, though 283 MPs including those elected from JaPa took oath on Thursday.
After winning the polls, there was speculation about his oath taking as member of the 10th parliament. He also finally ended the speculation taking oath as MP in the 10th parliament.
Ershad backed to the Combined Minitary Hospital in Dhaka for treatment where he had been since December 12 after his detainment by law enforcers from his Gulshan residence.
The 10th parliamentary polls were held on January 5 amid boycott of BNP.
In the much-talked polls, Ershad’s Jatiya Party bagged 33 seats– 13 contested and 20 uncontested, the second highest, after the Awami League who secured 232 – 105 contested and 127 uncontested.
On Saturday, the Parliament Secretariat published a gazette notification confirming Rawshan Ershad as the Leader of the Opposition in the 10th parliament.
