BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said though progress has been achieved regarding the constitutional amendment issue in the reform dialogue, there is still disagreement over the formation of the Upper House of a prospective bicameral parliament.
“Most political parties are in principle supporting the formation of a bicameral parliament. But, disagreements remain regarding the formation process, powers and functions of the upper house,” he said at a press briefing after the 14th day of the second-round of reform talks between the National Consensus Commission and political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.
In line with BNP’s 31-point reform agenda, Salahuddin said his party proposed formation of a 100-seat upper house with representatives from diverse sectors -- such as academics, political scientists, social scientists, and marginalised communities.
The members of the upper house should be nominated or selected through a specific mechanism, possibly following the PR system that is now used for women reserved seats in parliament.
Clarifying BNP’s position over the PR system, he said his party opposes the Proportional Representation (PR) system for forming the upper house. “We are not in favor of the PR system (by votes). It could invite scope for some parties to exercise extra influence, disrupting the balance in the upper house,” he said.
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He emphasised that the upper house should not simply mirror the lower house. “Its role and authority must be distinct to ensure its effectiveness. We don't want the upper house to be just a replica of the lower house. Its functions and objectives must be different," said the BNP leader.
On the issue of constitutional amendments, Salahuddin said BNP has proposed that a referendum be made mandatory for any amendment to key constitutional provisions—such as the Preamble and Articles-8, 48, 56 and 142 as well as the caretaker government-related articles (58(b), 58(c) and 58(d).
“This proposal has been accepted by almost all. Our goal is to prevent arbitrary interference with the caretaker government system in the future. The parliament has the authority to enact laws alongside the court verdict (regarding caretaker government issue). This system can be reintroduced into the constitution based on public demand,” he said.
About the woman seats, Salahuddin said the reserved seat issue could not be discussed on Tuesday due to time constraints, but he hoped that it would be taken up in the next discussion.