The Constitution Reform Commission on Sunday exchanged views with the representatives of different professions, young thinkers and cultural personalities.
As part of a series of talks with different stakeholders over reform of the Constitution, the two views-exchange meetings were held at the cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad with commission’s chief Prof Ali Riaz in the chair.
In the first meeting, the participants recommended scrapping the 15th amendment to the constitution, restoration of the referendum provision and introduction of bicameral parliament.
They also criticised Article 70 of the existing constitution.
Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) general secretary Quader Gani Chowdhury, FBCCI’s representative (arbitration tribunal) Nasreen Begum; lawyer Chowdhury Mokimuddin KJ Ali, Convener of the Institution of Diploma Engineers (convening committee) Engineer Kabir Hossain, President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners Dr Adil Mohammed Khan, Co-president of Garment Sramik Sanghati (a platform of RMG workers) Anjan Das and general secretary Mizanur Rahim Chowdhury, Bangladesh Trade Union Association president Chowdhury Ashiqul Alam, and representatives of the Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Network on Climate Change and Biodiversity and the Chittagong Hill Tracts Citizen’s Committee, among others, took part in the first views-exchange.
Commission members Prof Sumaiya Khair, Barrister Imran Siddique, Prof Muhammad Ekramul Haque, Dr Sharif Bhuiyan, Barrister M Moin Alam Ferozi, Firoz Ahmed and Mustain Billah were present in the meetings.
BFUJ general secretary Quader Gani Chowdhury said the absolute power of the Prime Minister has led to the rise of an authoritarian dictator in the guise of a parliamentary government in the last 15 years. “So, a bicameral parliament is very important to overcome this situation,” he said.
Criticising the Article 70 of the Constitution, the journalist leader said it is not possible for a parliamentarian to vote against his or her party in parliament as he or she would lose membership of parliament. “That means whatever the government party wants will happen in the parliament,” he said.
Quader Gani also blasted the 15th amendment to the constitution that scrapped the caretaker government system.
He viewed that the referendum provision should be restored for bringing fundamental changes to the constitution.
In a separate meeting, young thinkers and cultural activist Sarwar Tusher, Sayeed Abdullah, Arup Rahee, Deepak Kumar Goswami, advocate Arif Khan, Maha Mirza, Imran Mahfuz, Dr Syed Nizar, Ilira Dewan and Asif Akbar raised their opinions over the reform of the constitution.
The Commission will continue its talks with other personalities and organisations in the coming days.