United News of Bangladesh

A special committee for amending the constitution was formed in Parliament on Monday night amid strong protest from the opposition. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni placed the proposal for formation of the Constitutional Amendment-related Special Committee in the House, which was passed by a voice vote, leading to a walkout by opposition lawmakers. The 12-member special committee, headed by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, was formed, keeping the provision for making it a 17-member one incorporating members from the opposition. Parliament constitutes six standing committees The committee members include eight MPs from ruling BNP, and one each from Bangladesh Jatiya Party, led by Andaleeve Rahman, Ganosamhati Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) and Islami Andolan Bangladesh. The eight BNP MPs are Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed (Cox’s Bazar-1), Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni (Barguna-2), Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman (Jhenaidah-1), Zainul Abedin (Barishal-3), Stare Minister Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin (Chattogram-5), State Minister Farzana Sharmin (Natore-1), Mahmudul Hoque Rubel (Sherpur-3) and Shakila Farzana (Women Seat-8). Other members include State Minister Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki (Brahmanbaria-6) from Ganosamhati Andolon, Andaleeve Rahman (Bhola-1) from BJP, State Minister Nurul Haque (Patuakhali-3) from GOP and Oli Ullah (Barguna-1) from Islami Andolan Bangladesh. Before the walkout from the House, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman opposed the proposal for the formation of the special committee, claiming that the public verdict given through the February-12 referendum for the constitutional reform was undermined. He said they never said they would give names to represent the opposition in this committee as they did not accept it conceptually. Shafiqur Rahman said their MPs took two oaths – one as MPs and another as member of the Constitution Reform Council. “We think both oaths still remain valid,” he said.   “If this committee is formed to bypass the implementation of referendum verdict (given through the referendum), we are rejecting this proposal,” he said. The opposition leader said they were staging walkout as the will of the people expressed through the referendum and the public verdict was not being honoured. Responding to the opposition leader, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the government is committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people following the July mass uprising by repealing the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. Rejecting the opposition's argument regarding two oaths, he said Parliament was elected under the existing Constitution and the current parliamentary session has also been convened in accordance with it. "If they say they have taken two oaths, we have not taken any such second oath," Salahuddin said, adding that taking an oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council has no constitutional or legal basis. He said the government will want to respect the public verdict delivered through the referendum, but the constitution must be amended first to honour the public verdict given through the referendum. If any provisions relating to the Constitution Reform Council need to be incorporated into the Constitution through consensus, those issues could be discussed within the constitutional amendment committee, the minister said.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Monday said there is no alternative to amending the Constitution to put Bangladesh’s democratic journey on the right track. “The previous fascist government changed the Constitution for its own benefits. This Constitution must be made people-friendly again for the benefit of the people,” he said when US Embassy Political Officer James A Stewart called on him at his Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office. According to a press release, the Chief Whip said there is no opportunity to repeal the existing Constitution. “However, changes to the Constitution must be made based on discussions with all parties.” “We have come to Parliament with a two-thirds majority. Although we are sufficient in number to amend the Constitution, we want to take the decision based on opinions of all. We want to walk the path with everyone. Bangladesh comes first for the current government,” he said Moni also mentioned that BNP is in favour of implementing the July National Charter. “We want to implement everything we have agreed on. We just want to discuss the implementation method with everyone.” During the meeting, discussions were held on the democratic journey of Bangladesh, the implementation of the July Charter, the method of amending the Constitution and the role of the government in implementing an effective Parliament. The Chief Whip said since taking office, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been sending the opposition a message of political harmony and creating a beautiful democratic environment. “After the victory, he went to the Leader of the Opposition’s house and proposed that a deputy speaker be appointed from the opposition. He is also thinking about giving the posts of parliamentary standing committee chairman to the opposition on a proportional basis. He will do whatever is needed to make Parliament the centre of democracy.” James A Stewart praised the current government's people-friendly initiatives such as waiving agricultural loans up to Tk 10,000, distributing family cards, and bringing political stability.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Wednesday said a special parliamentary committee will soon be formed to facilitate constitutional amendments. "A committee will be formed to amend  the constitution. We intend to include representatives from all political parties on a proportional basis as well as independent lawmakers. We want to initiate this committee very soon, possibly by next Sunday, taking everyone's opinions into account," he said. The Chief Whip said while the exact number is yet to be finalised the committee is expected to consist of 15, 18, or 20 members. "This is a unique situation. We want to include legal experts from both the treasury and opposition benches. If a party lacks legal experts, we will still include their representatives. Our goal is to bring the constitution to a stage where frequent changes are no longer necessary," he added. Responding to concerns that the opposition might boycott such a committee, Moni said their cooperation is essential for the nation's progress. "Their stance would not be correct. Sooner or later, we must amend the constitution. We want them in the committee. Just as you cannot shake hands with one hand or cut hair with only one blade of a pair of scissors, we need both sides. We hope they will join us for the final process," he added. The Chief Whip emphasised that constitutional reform is a necessity under the "July Charter," referring to the principles established following the 2024 uprising. "We have no other way but to amend the constitution. This is for the country. It is not about personal benefits for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman or myself. This is for the welfare of people, and there should be no room for disagreement on that," he said, asserting the government’s commitment to making the parliament effective in solving national issues. Parliamentary Infrastructure Upgrades In a separate development, the Parliament Secretariat issued a press release outlining recommendations from the meeting to modernise the session hall. The committee recommended the installation of an echo-free sound system capable of absorbing noise within one second or less. Additionally, recommendations were made to address slow internet speeds within the session hall and to ensure a steady supply of potable water in the parliament area. The meeting, chaired by Moni, was attended by committee members including Mia Noureddin Ahmed Apu, Mohammad Koysar Ahmed, Md. Shahidul Islam, Nayab Yusuf Ahmed, SM Jahangir Hossain, Oli Ullah, Saiful Alam Milan, and Abul Hasnat.