Jatiya Party (JaPa) Secretary General Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu emphasized the need for power balance and legal reforms, stating that no prime minister should have unchecked authority.
He said: “We want a balance of power. We want reforms in the law—so that a prime minister cannot do whatever they please. We want reforms in the Election Commission law. The Election Commission must be empowered to exercise its authority during elections.”
He added: “We want fair elections, and the public’s acceptance of us will be proven in the upcoming elections.”
Chunnu was speaking on Wednesday afternoon while presiding over a discussion meeting organized at the Jatiya Party Chairman’s office in Banani to mark the introduction of the Upazila system.
He further said: “Twenty-five years ago, Hussain Muhammad Ershad formally demanded proportional elections at the Hotel InterContinental, and now, after all these years, almost all parties are considering proportional elections. The electoral system must be changed. Fair elections are not possible under the existing system.”
He continued: “We were not invited to the dialogue; that is within the interim government’s jurisdiction. If asked for support, the Jatiya Party is ready. In 2010, I proposed a law regarding the appointment of judges in parliament. The selection committee recommended passing the law, but the Awami League government did not do so.”
Chunnu also said that due to Article 116 of the Constitution, president can control the appointment and transfer of subordinate court judges. This power must be abolished. He further called for the abolition of Article 70 of the Constitution to allow elected members of parliament the freedom to exercise their voting rights independently in lawmaking. “We will strengthen the Upazila Parishad once again. We want a strong Upazila Parishad like we had in 1983/84,” he said.
Chunnu also emphasized that the late President and Jatiya Party founder, “Pallibandhu” Hussain Muhammad Ershad, brought about revolutionary changes in Bangladesh’s decayed society. Amid significant challenges, Ershad established 364 Upazila Parishads in the country.
By appointing 18 first-class officers, including three specialist doctors, in each Upazila Parishad, he succeeded in bringing government services to the people’s doorsteps. With renowned doctor Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, he formulated the National Drug Policy, enabling people to access affordable, quality medicines, which are now exported to over a hundred countries.
