The oath-taking ceremony for the 297 newly elected members of the 13th National Parliament will be held by February 16–17, according to Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser.

He shared this information during a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Saturday (February 14) morning.

During the same briefing, Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, analyzed the results of the historic referendum held on February 12. He stated that the people of the country have given their final verdict in favor of state reform through a landslide 'Yes' vote.

Referendum by the Numbers
According to data provided by the Election Commission, a total of 77,695,023 voters participated in the referendum, representing approximately 60.84% of the total electorate. Notably, voter turnout for the referendum was 1% higher than that of the parliamentary election, reflecting the public's desire for reform.

A Mandate for Reform
Professor Riaz emphasized that the referendum results should not be viewed merely through the lens of statistics. He described it as a unique recognition of the sacrifices made by the martyrs and the injured of the August 2024 mass uprising.

The government has announced that preparations are underway to commence parliamentary proceedings as soon as possible following the oath-taking. The Election Commission has already completed the publication of the gazette for the winners; the representatives will now officially assume their duties through the formal swearing-in ceremony.