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Published : 01 Apr 2026, 02:26 AM
The ruling party has proposed forming a special parliamentary committee to coordinate constitutional amendments, including all parties and independent members.
The Opposition, however, insists on equal representation from both sides to ensure fairness.
On Tuesday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, speaking on behalf of House leader Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, suggested the committee during discussions on the July National Charter.
The proposal received support from Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman.
Opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman welcomed the move, adding that equal representation from government and Opposition benches would be viewed positively.
He also called for discussions on convening the Constitutional Reform Council as mandated under the July Charter.
During the two-hour debate, three members from the government and eight from the Opposition presented their positions.
While both sides supported implementing the July Charter, they disagreed on its method, legal grounding within the existing Constitution, and the execution of a public referendum.
Jamaat-e-Islami MP Shafiqul Islam Masud criticised the shift from reform to amendment, saying: “Our youth did not work for this amendment. The student movement back then sought reform, not mere amendments.”
NCP MP Akhter Hossen highlighted constitutional ambiguities during the Aug 5–8, 2024 period, questioning the legitimacy of the government, parliamentary dissolution, and subsequent oath-taking.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman and Bhola-1 MP Andaleeve Rahman Partho emphasised procedural concerns: “Our objection is not to the July Charter itself but to how it will be implemented.”
He questioned the logic of discarding the existing constitutional framework.
Other MPs raised similar points, warning against ignoring the balance of power between the president and prime minister, ensuring judicial independence, strengthening anti-corruption mechanisms, and preventing partisan control of the bureaucracy.
Dhaka-12 MP Saiful Alam Khan from the Jamaat-e-Islami observed that this is the first time all political parties have united on constitutional reform.
Meanwhile, MPs from Pabna-1, Sirajganj-4, and Chapainawabganj-3 highlighted risks of selective implementation, procedural manipulation, and repeating historical injustices.
The debate underscored differences over both process and purpose, leaving the parliamentary floor in tense anticipation of how the reforms will be structured and executed.
