Restoration of caretaker system to be proposed
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Constitution reform commission likely to submit report Jan 7
The restoration of the caretaker government and the introduction of a bicameral system in parliament will be among the recommendations to be proposed by the Constitution Reform Commission.
The commission, led by political scientist Ali Riaz, is likely to recommend the inclusion of equality, human dignity, and social justice in the preamble to the constitution.
Its proposal, which is currently being prepared along with the rationale, is scheduled to submit its recommendations by January 7.
“I would say the biggest consensus we received is on the caretaker government. If I were to say 100 percent, it would not be an exaggeration,” Riaz told The Daily Star.
Additionally, the commission will propose a two-term limit for the office and curbing the prime minister’s absolute power.
It will also recommend establishing a balance of power between the prime minister and the president.
The commission plans to strengthen the parliamentary standing committees to enhance their ability to monitor and hold the government and the prime minister accountable
It will also recommend repealing Article 70 of the constitution.
Asked whether the commission is amending or rewriting the constitution, Riaz clarified that it is not drafting a new constitution but rather compiling recommendations so that the constitution would guarantee that no one can snatch the voting rights of the masses and no potential autocrat can grab power.
So far, the commission has received proposals from 28 political entities, including 25 political parties and three alliances.
It has also held discussions with 43 organisations, including civil society groups, some of which have provided written submissions.
Moreover, the commission consulted seven constitutional experts and sought opinions from 27 prominent citizens.
It also took opinions from 10 youths who contributed songs, poems and graffiti during the July uprising. They were not associated with the Student Against Discrimination movement or the Jatiya Nagorik Committee.
The commission has undertaken two broader initiatives.
Riaz said, “First, we collected public opinions through our website, receiving 50,573 responses. While these inputs were helpful, they had limitations due to the lack of demographic information about the respondents, such as age, gender, location or profession, which weakened their scientific credibility.”
To address this, the commission collaborated with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics to conduct a household survey using a methodologically sound and scientifically rigorous process.
“This survey collected 45,925 opinions, which we are now analysing. This approach ensured a more representative and inclusive understanding of public sentiment,” Riaz added.
Thus far, the commission has conducted 46 meetings: 23 for consultations and 23 among its members.
“Through these efforts, we have extensively and inclusively gathered opinions and analysed 121 countries’ constitutions — we are working toward making well-informed recommendations,” Riaz also said.
News source: The Daily Star, Wed Dec 25, 2024 02:45 AM
