Accra:Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed emphasized the government's desire to implement constitutional reforms through consensus with the opposition. Despite this, he stated that the government would proceed with the amendments to enact the July National Charter if the opposition chooses not to participate.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Salahuddin expressed the government's commitment to adopting constitutional amendments with input from both ruling and opposition parties during a media briefing after the Special Committee on Constitutional Reform's meeting at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
The minister highlighted the government's repeated invitations to the opposition to join the reform process. He reiterated that implementing the July Charter is a national expectation and emphasized it as a commitment of the government. The Charter was developed through discussions led by the National Consensus Commission, chaired by former Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Salahuddin encouraged the opposition to nominate representatives to the committee to engage in discussions. He noted that the reform discussions included key topics such as the incorporation of the July National Charter into constitutional provisions, judicial independence, and the caretaker government system.
The meeting explored various proposals, including amending Article 142 of the Constitution, examining the abolished referendum provision, and discussing the judiciary's role. Discussions also touched on the establishment of a bicameral parliament and the method of selecting members for an upper house.
The committee plans to review written proposals and hold further discussions, including a session on October 24 with legal experts to gather detailed insights. Participants of the meeting included prominent government officials and academics, who contributed their views to the ongoing discussions.