BNP has submitted 62 proposals to the Constitution Reform Commission. Among these, the balance between the powers of the Prime Minister and the President, caretaker government, referendum clause in the constitution, bicameral Parliament, creation of the post of Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister are noteworthy. However, according to BNP, only the elected government has the authority to implement constitutional reforms.
Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the party's standing committee, submitted the BNP's proposal to the head of the commission, Professor Ali Riaz, at the office of the Constitutional Reform Commission in the National Parliament on Tuesday.
After 11 o'clock, Salahuddin Ahmed went to the office. BNP delegation came out after about half an hour. Later, Salahuddin Ahmed spoke to the journalists.
Regarding BNP's proposal to the Constitutional Reform Commission, Salahuddin Ahmed said, “We have submitted various proposals and amendments in 62 places, from the beginning to the schedule of the constitution reform proposal. We hope the committee will consider it.
Salahuddin Ahmed said that BNP has given some new proposals including what Awami League had done through the 15th amendment to change the character of Bangladesh politics in the main part of the proposal.
He said, in the proposal, we have made our proposal keeping in mind the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh, the pledge of the blood of the martyrs in the July-August revolution and the current reality of Bangladesh so that no parliamentary dictatorship is created in the future.
Salahuddin Ahmed said that BNP has proposed to balance the powers of the Prime Minister and the President. He said that no one should hold the post of Prime Minister for more than two consecutive terms. I have also proposed the provision for the creation of the upper house of the parliament.
He said that BNP has given a new proposal regarding the judicial department. Salahuddin Ahmed said, it has been proposed that the control of the subordinate courts should be under the Supreme Court, so that it should be properly controlled.
Salahuddin Ahmed said that BNP has proposed to create the posts of Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister as new posts. He said it was earlier, we have proposed to reintroduce it. In matters where the desire of the people is high, caretaker government is the number one desire of the people, it is under trial in the court, hopefully the verdict will come in favor of the people. I have proposed to re-introduce the provision of plebiscite.
He said, we have mentioned all the issues including republic, executive department, judicial department, legal department, election commission, schedule in the proposal, so that the democratic system is achieved in the constitution and the people get the benefit of it. I have proposed that balance of power should be created in all the organs of the state.
There is a discussion on the rewriting of the constitution, to the question whether BNP has given any statement in this regard – Salahuddin Ahmed said, I have proposed to amend the constitution on a comprehensive basis. So that it amends the democratic constitution and fulfills the aspirations of the people.
Salahuddin Ahmed said that the constitution reform commission will submit their proposals to the interim government on the question of how the constitutional amendment will be approved in the absence of the elected parliament. The chief adviser said that they will discuss the matter with all political parties, social organizations, experts and representatives of the society and finalize it.
Salahuddin Ahmed said, they hope that everyone will agree in most cases. There may be disagreements in some cases. He said, “If we commit to all the issues on which there is consensus and reflect them in the election manifesto, then everyone will have a commitment that whoever comes to power in the next election will change the constitution accordingly.”
Professor Borhan Uddin Rana was also in the delegation from BNP.
