Dhaka: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday denounced the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, calling it a “document of infinite deception” by the interim government. He emphasized that the order lacks any legal validity and is neither a law nor an ordinance.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Home Minister participated in a two-hour discussion initiated by the opposition in Parliament, which was focused on a motion to summon a session of the Constitution Reform Council. This motion was introduced by Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, under Section 62 of the Rules of Procedure. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad facilitated the discussion as the last item of the day’s parliamentary agenda.
Salahuddin Ahmed argued that the President’s authority to issue such orders had expired after the formation of the first parliament in 1973. He noted that though 133 ordinances by the interim government have been introduced in parliament, the July Charter Implementation Order does not feature among them due to its lack of legislative legitimacy. Ahmed also questioned the authority of the President to convene a session of the constitution reform council, citing the absence of constitutional provisions for such a body.
The Home Minister refuted claims that the BNP is against reform or the July Charter itself, affirming the party’s commitment to democratic constitutional amendments through inclusive dialogue. On behalf of the Leader of the House, he proposed the formation of a special parliamentary committee to draft a constitutional amendment bill based on broad consensus.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Leader of the Opposition, suggested forming a parliamentary committee to decide on the implementation of referendum results. He emphasized that any committee formed should have equal representation from both sides to ensure fairness. He also reiterated the need to respect the referendum, which was held in response to the demands of the BNP.
Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman stressed that all reform initiatives must operate within the framework of the Constitution, as it is the supreme legal foundation of the state and parliament. The Law Minister highlighted that the July Charter represents the public mandate and that any reform measures must be adopted through parliamentary processes.
BJP chairman Andaleeve Rahman (Partho) urged NCP leaders not to deviate from the spirit of the July movement. He criticized attempts to politically tag the BNP-led alliance against the movement’s spirit, warning that such tactics could harm national unity.
The discussion also included contributions from various lawmakers, who debated the implications of the July Charter and the referendum results. NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen questioned BNP’s reluctance to accept the referendum results despite their earlier support for it.
The session’s exchanges underline the ongoing political tensions surrounding the July Charter and the broader discourse on constitutional reform in Bangladesh.