Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that an inclusive and participatory amendment to the constitution will be brought about after discussions with all parties.
He made this statement at a press conference following the fourth meeting of the Special Committee on Constitution Amendment at the Parliament House on Tuesday (September 29).
The Home Minister stated that the opportunity for discussion on constitutional amendments is open to everyone. All relevant parties have been invited to join the committee and provide their opinions. Efforts will be made to formulate an inclusive and acceptable amendment through discussions with all stakeholders.
He informed that opinions will be sought from various social forces, organizations, and individuals associated with the July Mass Uprising, as well as from the families of victims of enforced disappearances, killings, and oppression over the past 17 years, and surviving victims’ representatives. Discussions will also be held with the families of those who died in the July Mass Uprising.
Additionally, opinions and suggestions will be gathered from people of various professions and their representatives. A report will then be prepared based on consultations with constitutional experts, he added.
Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the bill for constitutional amendment would be presented to the National Parliament based on this report. Even after the bill’s presentation, there will be opportunities for feedback both inside and outside the Parliament. The goal is to bring an acceptable amendment through consensus and discussion.
Discussion on Bicameral Parliament
The meeting also discussed the necessity of establishing a bicameral parliament. Regarding this, the Home Minister said that Bangladesh is a unitary state, and the constitution defines the country as a ‘Unitary Independent Sovereign Republic’. He mentioned that a proposal was raised in the meeting to reconsider the necessity of a bicameral parliament, given the absence of a federal system with constituent states.
However, he added that a consensus was reached on forming a bicameral parliament in the July National Charter, and the plan is to proceed based on that decision.
Discussion on Caretaker Government System
The meeting also included discussions on the decentralization and independence of the judiciary and the caretaker government system. The Home Minister specifically mentioned that participants’ opinions on the method, process, and structure of forming a caretaker government were recorded.
He stated that more open discussions and specific proposals are needed regarding the caretaker government system. The parliament will review and decide on proposals deemed acceptable and fair through discussion.
