The special parliamentary committee on constitutional amendments will review the entire constitution before finalising its recommendations, with the July National Charter at the centre of the process.
After the committee’s first meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday, members said such a review was necessary to ensure consistency across the constitution.
They also said views would be sought from constitutional experts, lawyers, political parties, professionals, and other stakeholders before the recommendations are finalised.
Parliament formed the 12-member committee, led by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, on July 13. It was formed without opposition as Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party rejected the formation of such a body in protest against the BNP’s refusal to form a Constitution Reform Council.
The July National Charter, endorsed in a referendum held alongside the February 12 general election, envisioned the reform council whose members would take separate oaths as lawmakers and council members.
While Jamaat, the NCP and their allies took the second oath, BNP lawmakers refused, arguing that the constitution contains no provision for such a council.
The government later set up the special committee, saying parliament is the only constitutional body empowered to amend the constitution. The opposition was asked to nominate five members in the 12-member body.
Meeting sources said the one-hour meeting mainly discussed how the committee would operate. Members were asked to prepare proposals on aligning constitutional amendments with the July charter.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh lawmaker Md Oli Ullah, the only member outside of BNP and its allies in the committee, was absent.
Salahuddin, who left the meeting midway to attend another government programme, told reporters, “We will listen to everyone. We will include all necessary recommendations and prepare our report accordingly.”
The home minister said the committee would try to incorporate pledges on democratic state reform into its proposals.
Asked when the committee would submit its recommendations, Salahuddin said no deadline had been set. He said the committee would also invite interested individuals and institutions to submit opinions.
He said he still hoped the opposition would eventually join the committee. However, he stressed that its MPs’ proposals and observations would be considered even if they stayed away.
“We want the amendments to reflect public expectations and be acceptable to all,” he said.
Asked about constitutional reform proposals in the July charter, Salahuddin said the parties had agreed on it as a document of political consensus. The issues on which they had submitted notes of dissent would be considered accordingly, he added.
“There are other issues too. We also have our election manifesto. We will consider proposals that might have been discussed during the drafting of the July National Charter but were not included in the final document,” Salahuddin said.
Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman, also a committee member, said the panel would pursue constitutional amendments keeping the July charter and the spirit of the uprising at the centre.
“We will not bypass the July National Charter and impose any political ideology or anything else. We cannot do that,” he said.
Asked whether the whole constitution would be reviewed, the law minister said it would have to be examined in full to ensure consistency across its provisions.
On issues where the BNP’s position differs from proposals in the July charter, Asaduzzaman referred to the party’s notes of dissent included in the charter.
“If BNP has expressed dissent somewhere, and if that dissent is reflected in its election manifesto, then that will prevail. That is also part of the July National Charter,” he said.
Calling the July charter a “complete political guideline”, the law minister said the opposition, even if it stayed away, would be able to observe whether the committee was working within that framework.
“If they think we have deviated from the July National Charter, they have every right to criticise us. We will try to accommodate any logical criticism,” he said.
Asaduzzaman said the committee would consult families of July uprising martyrs, July fighters, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement activists, journalists, the Supreme Court Bar Association, retired judges, professionals, and those involved in drafting the July charter.
Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said the committee aimed to amend the constitution for future generations, not just for the present, and hoped the opposition would join the process.
Besides Salahuddin, Asaduzzaman and Moni, the committee also includes State Minister for Planning Md Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki (Brahmanbaria-6), Andaleeve Rahman (Bhola-1), State Minister for Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque (Patuakhali-3), State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin (Chattogram-5), State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin (Natore-1), Shakila Farzana (Women’s Reserved Seat-8), Md Mahmudul Hoque Rubel (Sherpur-3), Md Oli Ullah (Barguna-1) and Zainul Abedin (Barishal-3).
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/news/politics/news/js-panel-review-entire-constitution-4240426
