National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam has criticised the appointment of National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman as Foreign Minister in the newly formed BNP government, saying it casts doubt on the impartiality of the national election and the interim administration.

Talking to reporters after taking oath as Member of Parliament, Nahid said Khalilur’s appointment in the cabinet of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) substantiates long -tanding allegations of ‘election engineering’.

“For the sake of neutrality, student advisers were asked to resign and they did so. But Khalilur Rahman joining the BNP cabinet proves that he had been working for a particular party while serving in the interim government,” Nahid said.

Nahid alleged that BNP secured a two-thirds majority by strategically defeating his party in several constituencies. “This has now created an opportunity for them to complicate the constitutional reform process.”

Referring to the oath-taking ceremony, Nahid said members were scheduled to take oath as part of the Constitutional Reform Council at the same venue and before the same authority immediately after being sworn in as MPs.

BNP lawmakers, however, declined to take that oath, arguing that the Constitution does not provide a legal basis for such a council.

“This is tantamount to disregarding the mandate of the referendum. The July Charter clearly mentions the formation of a Constitutional Reform Council. By signing that charter and now refusing to take oath, the government has broken its commitment on the very first day,” Nahid claimed.

He warned that BNP’s refusal to join the reform council has created fresh legal complications, as the July Charter provides the basis for both the council and the referendum’s legitimacy.

Nahid urged BNP MPs to take oath in the Constitutional Reform Council without delay to resolve the crisis.