A day after announcing its one-point demand, BNP on Thursday unveiled a 31-point outline aimed at "reforming" the constitution and state system and ensuring economic emancipation.
Party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presented the 31-point outline at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
“As a responsible political party, we -- through discussions with other parties who are carrying out movements with us -- formulated this outline. On behalf of BNP, I want to present it before the nation,” he said.
The BNP leader said they announced a one-point demand from their Wednesday rally in the capital for a historic political changeover. “We’re now announcing our 31-point outline, not just for the election and for regime change, but for overall qualitative change in the state system and turning the country into a democratic state in the true sense.”
He said this outline is "crucial" for the nation, as it contains their party’s commitments to bringing positive change to the country.
The BNP leader said Bangladesh was formed with the dream of establishing democracy, equality, human dignity, and social justice through the Liberation War in 1971. “They (people) have now lost their ownership of the country.”
He said the current "authoritarian" government has "destroyed the state structure of Bangladesh."
“This state needs to be repaired and rebuilt,” he said.
After winning a free, fair, impartial, acceptable, and participatory election, Fakhrul said a public welfare-oriented government of national consensus will be formed, comprising the political parties that are participating in the ongoing anti-government movement to restore people’s ownership of the country.
BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Selima Rahman were present at the press conference.
In the 31-point outline, the party proposed the formation of different commissions, including the 'Constitution Commission', 'National Reconciliation Commission', 'Judicial Commission', 'Administrative Reform Commission', 'Media Commission' and ‘Economic Reform Commission'.
Besides, it also presented the plans to amend the existing 'Chief Election Commission and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act-2011, RPO, Political Party Registration Act' and to form an independent, impartial and effective Election Commission.
In addition to the existing parliamentary system, the party also proposed introducing an upper chamber legislative assembly comprising eminent citizens of the country, veteran academics, professionals, political scientists, sociologists and people with administrative experience.
The party suggested balancing the executive powers of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet and ensuring proper coordination regarding the powers and responsibilities of the Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary.
It also proposed making provision so that no one can perform the duties of the Prime Minister for more than two consecutive terms.
In the outline, the party promised to annul all black laws, including the ICT Act-2007, Anti-Terrorism Act-2009, Special Powers Act, Digital Security Act-2018 and all other laws that help snatch basic human rights.
It also assured of cancelling various black laws relating to the power and energy sector, including the indemnity law and taking measures to stop the ongoing corruption in purchasing electricity from quick rental power plants.
The party promised to investigate organised money laundering and corruption for the last one and a half decades and to publish a white paper in this regard and take legal action against the persons identified people in the white paper and to bring back the money siphoned off abroad.
It also proposed reforming the anti-corruption commission and the anti-corruption law and appointing an ombudsman.
In the outline, BNP planned ensuring fair wages for workers in the light of inflation and providing unemployed educated youths alongside increasing the age limit for entry into government jobs in accordance with international norms.
The party also planned to introduce health card for all by ensuring universal health care, remove anarchy in the education sector and increase allocation for the health and education sectors.
BNP also talked about various measures for ensuring fair prices of agriculture products and giving farmers different facilities, developing agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors and giving incentives to export-oriented agro-processing industries.
In their outline, the party also promised that no terrorist activity will be tolerated and pampered on the territory of Bangladesh. “Strict action will be taken against terrorists, militancy, extremism.”