BNP projects balance of power, bicameral JS in reform plan

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday announced a 27-point outline for massive state reforms, including balancing the powers of the president, the prime minister and the cabinet of ministers and introducing an upper house in Jatiya Sangsad.

The party also plans to introduce a bar for a person to becoming president or prime minister for more than two consecutive terms, said BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain while unveiling the reform draft titled ‘An outline of the structural reforms of the state’ in a press conference at a hotel in  Dhaka city.

‘The current authoritarian government has destroyed the state structure of Bangladesh. The state needs to be repaired and rebuilt. After winning a free, fair, impartial, acceptable and participatory election with the aim of returning the country’s ownership to its people, national consensus for public welfare will be established by the political parties participating in the movement to oust the current fascist government,’ Mosharraf said.

He said that reforms would be carried out through a national government while the proposed national government would be formed comprising all the political parties currently participating in the ongoing anti-government democratic movement for the sake of running the country with the opinion and consent of all.

The BNP’s 27-point draft reforms are as follows.

A ‘Constitution Reform Commission’ will be set up to repeal/amend all unreasonable, controversial and undemocratic constitutional amendments; an inclusive ‘Rainbow Nation’ will be established based on Bangladeshi nationalism, as opposed to the politics of vengeance.

A ‘National Reconciliation Commission’ will be formed in this regard; an election-time non-party caretaker government system will be introduced; the executive power of the president, the prime minister and the cabinet of ministers will be balanced; no one shall serve as the president and the prime minister for more than two consecutive terms.

In addition to the existing legislative system, an ‘upper house of the legislature’ will be established to run the state with expertise; the issue of amendment to Article 70 of the constitution will be examined, in order to ensure the scope for the members of the parliament to express independent opinions in the parliament.

The existing ‘Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act, 2022’ will be amended and all constitutional, statutory and public institutions will be reconstituted.

Effective independence of the judiciary will be ensured while an ‘Administrative Reforms Commission’ shall be set up for restructuring the administration.

A ‘Media Commission’ will be set up for comprehensive reforms. There will be no compromise on corruption, a white paper will be published on investigating money laundering and corruption and an ‘Ombudsman’ will be appointed as stipulated in the constitution.

The rule of law will be established at all levels and human rights will be implemented as per the Universal Human Rights Charter. An ‘Economic Reform Commission’, consisting of experts, will be constituted.

Every individual will enjoy the right to perform respective religious activities based on the principle that religions belong to respective individuals, the state belongs to all.

Fair wages of the working class will be ensured in keeping with inflation. All black laws, including the indemnity law for the power, energy and mineral sector, will be repealed.

The national interest of Bangladesh will be given the highest priority in case of foreign relations, no terrorist activity will be tolerated on the soil of Bangladesh and stern measures shall be taken against terrorism, extremism and militancy.

The use of terrorism as a political tool to suppress dissents and opposition political parties by misusing the anti-terrorist law will be stopped and this will facilitate identify the real terrorists and ensure punishment under the process of law.

The Armed Forces will be appropriately developed imbibed with the supreme spirit of patriotism for safeguarding the sovereignty of the country.

Local government institutions will be independent, strong and empowered for a greater decentralisation of power, he added.

A list of the martyrs of the liberation war will be prepared under state initiative. Modern and time-befitting youth development policies will be formulated in keeping with the vision, thoughts and aspirations of the youth.

‘Unemployed educated youths will be given unemployment allowance till he/she gets employed, or for one year, whichever occurs earlier. Increase in age-limit for entry into the government service will be considered in keeping with the international standard.

Specific programmes will be adopted to ensure women empowerment and need-based and knowledge-based education will be given priority.

Based on the principle of ‘health for all’, universal health care will be introduced in line with ‘NHS’ in the United Kingdom. Fair prices of agricultural produce will be ensured.

Addressing the press conference, Mosharraf said that BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had held several rounds of dialogue with the opposition political parties in formulating this reform framework since last August, which was officially announced on Monday.

BNP standing committee members Zamiruddin Sircar, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, Shahjahan Omar, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Mohammad Shahjahan , Abdul Awal Mintoo, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, AZM Zahid Hossain, Zainal Abedin, Ahmed Azam Khan and Nitai Rai Chowdhury were present, among other BNP leaders, at the press conference.

While Nagarik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gono Forum faction president Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Gono Odhikar Parishad convener Reza Kibria, Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Bhashani Onusari Parishad convener Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu, Rastra Sanskar Andolan central leader Imran Emon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD leader Kamal Uddin Patwari attended the programme, among others, from other oppositions.

Leaders of partners in the BNP-led alliance were also present.

New Age