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Sheikh Hasina sworn in as Prime Minister for 5th term

President adminsters oath to Ministers State Ministers

Published : Friday, 12 January, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 179
Staff Correspondent
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, also daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on Thursday sworn-in as the countrys Prime Minister for the fourth consecutive term and a record of fifth term - after she led her party to a massive victory in January 7 Parliamentary Election.

With her five terms as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now the longest serving Head of Government in the world.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Thursday conducted the oath of office and secrecy to the 76-year-old Prime Minister at a ceremony at Bangabhaban, watched by political leaders, foreign diplomats, high civil and military officials and elites.

The oath-taking ceremony took place a day after the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) unanimously elected Sheikh Hasina as the Leader of the House paving the way for her to become the Prime Minister for an overall fifth term, a record in Bangladesh history.

Sheikh Hasina, the elder daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won from the Gopalganj-3 parliamentary with a huge margin in the January 7 election. She never lost from this seat in her home district since her first contest in 1986.

Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana survived the August 15, 1975 mayhem that saw the assassination of Bangabandhu along with most members of his family. They were then on vacation in Germany. From Germany the two sisters, the only survivors of Bangabandhus family, went to India for about six years of exiled life.

Still in exile in India Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Awami League at the age of 34. She returned home from India on May 17, 1981 and immediately launched a campaign against the rule of military dictator Ziaur Rahman for restoration of democracy and right to vote.

Later she led a pro-democracy movement against the autocratic rule of General HM Ershad leading to his downfall in 1990. However, in the general election held in 1991 the Awami League lost to its arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Khaleda Zia.

The Awami League, led by Hasina, won the June 1996 parliamentary elections returning to power for the first time since the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975.

In 2001 Sheikh Hasina became the first Prime Minister to step down peacefully after serving full five-year term in office and handed over power to a caretaker administration as per the countrys constitution. Her party was defeated in the 2001 election conducted by a caretaker government.

She again led her party to an absolute win in the 2008 election overseen by a military-backed caretaker government. She took office for the second time in 2009. She won the next three elections in 2014, 2018 and the latest on January 7, 2024.

In January 7 election the Awami League secured 222 seats. The independent candidates, largely from AL, bagged 62 and the Jatiya Party, led by GM Quader, got only 11 seats. Workers Party and JSD, allies of Awami Leage, won one seat each.

The oath-taking ceremony for the newly appointed members of cabinet began at the presidents official residence Bangabhabans Darbar Hall at 7 pm on Thursday. According to tradition, President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office and secrecy to Sheikh Hasina.

Afterwards, he offered her his congratulations. Following the prime minister, the new members of cabinet were sworn in by the President.

The ceremony was moderated by Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain.

Hasina has picked 25 ministers and 11 state ministers to run the country alongside her.

The President greeted Awami League President Hasina upon her arrival at the Bangabhaban at 6:50pm. The head of state and head of government then spoke privately for some time.

Afterwards, the prime minister stepped into Darbar Hall. Sheikh Rehana, Hasinas younger sister, accompanied her.

During the ceremony, Hasina stood in the front row, flanked by Rehana on one side and Rebecca Sultana, the presidents wife, on the other. Rehanas son Radwan Mujib Siddiq was also in the front row.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan were present.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader, the leader of the opposition in the 11th parliament, and General Secretary Ruhul Amin Howlader also attended the swearing in ceremony.

Members of the 14-Party Alliance, including Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, MP, JaSaD President Hasanul Haq Inu, Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist) leader Dilip Barua were present.

Former minister and victorious independent candidate Abdul Latif Siddique and his brother Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique attended the ceremony.

The US Ambassador Peter Haas, UK High Commissioner Sarah Cook, Russian Ambassador Alexander Montetaski, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, and the Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen were among the diplomats present.

Justices, chiefs of the armed forces, senior government officials, prominent lawyers, business leaders, former and newly elected MPs, and senior journalists attended the ceremony.

After recitation Holy from the Quran, Hasina kissed her sister before stepping onto the stage to take her oath of office.

The new members of the cabinet followed afterwards.

A RECORD FIFTH TERM
Sheikh Hasina was born on Sept 28, 1947 in Gopalganjs Tungipara, the eldest of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Begum Fazilatunnesas five children.

She was involved in politics from her student years and completed her Bachelors in Arts degree from Dhaka University in 1973. She was a member of the universitys Chhatra League unit and the general secretary of its Rokeya Hall branch.

In 1968, Sheikh Hasina was married to nuclear scientist MA Wazed Miah. On Aug 15, 1975, when Bangabandhu and other members of her family were assassinated at their home in Dhanmondi Road 32, Hasina and her sister Sheikh Hasina were abroad. They lived in exile in London and New Delhi for the next six years.

On May 17, 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned to Bangladesh to lead the Awami League. Within five years, she was elected as leader of the opposition the parliament.

Under her leadership, the Awami League joined forces with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to depose Ershad.

 Hasina lost the subsequent election in 1991, once again becoming the leader of the opposition.

The Awami League won the Jun 12, 1996 general election and formed government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina for the first time. Two of Sheikh Hasinas first governments most significant achievements was signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord and the Ganges Water Sharing Agreement with India.

In the 2001 election, the BNP-Jamaat alliance defeated Awami League and Hasina began her third term as leader of the opposition. During the BNP-Jamaat alliances tenure, Hasina was targeted in the grenade attack on Aug 21, 2004. Several Awami League leaders and activists lost their lives. Hasina survived.

Like many other politicians, Hasina was arrested after the military-backed caretaker government took power in 2007. But, within the span of two years, she led the Awami League to a landslide victory in the polls on Dec 29, 2008 as part of a Grand Alliance. Thus began her second term as prime minister.

The BNP and its allies boycotted the general election on Jan 5, 2014. The Awami League won an absolute majority in the election with 231 seats in the 10th national parliament.

On December 30, 2018 all registered parties took part in the 11th national parliamentary polls. The Awami League won 257 seats and formed the government for a third consecutive term.

The BNP boycotted the 2024 general election as it did the one in 2014. On January 7 elections, of the 42 registered political parties 28 took part. The Awami League encouraged its local leaders to run as independents to make the polls more competitive.

On January 7, during a largely peaceful vote, the Awami League won 222 seats. Independent candidates won 62, the Jatiya Party 11, the Workers Party and JaSaD - the Awami Leagues allies in the 14 Party-Alliance - won one each. The Bangladesh Kalyan Party, previously aligned with the BNP, won one seat.

On Wednesday, 298 parliamentarians were sworn in by the Speaker of the House, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
 
With her 20 years as prime minister, Hasina is the longest serving female head of government in a modern democratic system in the world.


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