Following the spirit of the July-August mass uprising, four reform commissions presented their initial recommendation reports to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus yesterday.
The four reform commissions submitted their reports in an effort to bring significant changes to the constitution, electoral system, anti-corruption mechanisms, and police operations.
The heads of the Election System Reform Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission, Police Reform Commission, and Constitution Reform Commission—Badiul Alam Majumdar, Iftekharuzzaman, Safar Raj Hossain, and Ali Riaz, respectively—visited the Chief Adviser’s Office to submit their reports.
Other commission members and advisers of the Interim Government were also present.
Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, Chief Adviser Dr Yunus assumed state power as the interim government's leader on August 8 and subsequently formed several sector-specific reform commissions.
After receiving the reports, Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus stated that the reform commission reports are highly significant, aiming to establish a consensus-based charter for a new Bangladesh that will guide elections and remain inviolable.
Addressing the gathering, Yunus said: “This is not just a formality; it is a historic moment. Various committees are formed, reports are published, and formalities are observed, but today’s event transcends all that. This event will be remembered as part of history because these commissions were born out of a historical turning point.”
Referring to the rise of a nation that had been devastated, the chief adviser remarked: “From that emergence, history has been made, and today’s event is an integral part of that history. These reports are not isolated; they are interwoven with the broader national narrative.”
Constitutional Reform Commission’s recommendations
The Constitutional Reform Commission proposed significant changes to the principles of Bangladesh's constitution, originally established in 1972 after the country's liberation following a nine-month war against Pakistan in 1971.
The commission recommended incorporating equality, human dignity, social justice, pluralism, and democracy into the constitution's principles while removing nationalism, socialism, and secularism.
After submitting the report, Prof Ali Riaz spoke to the media and highlighted key recommendations from the commission.
The commission proposed changing the official Bengali name of Bangladesh, currently "Gana Prajatantry Bangladesh," to "Jana Ganatantry Bangladesh." However, the English name, "People’s Republic of Bangladesh," will remain unchanged.
Additionally, the commission recommended reinstating the provision to hold referendums for constitutional amendments.
It also suggested replacing the current parliamentary system with a bicameral legislature comprising a lower house called the National Assembly and an upper house known as the Senate.
The proposed Senate would have 105 members, while the National Assembly would consist of 400 members. Both houses would serve four-year terms.
In total, the commission recommended 505 Members of Parliament (MPs) across the two chambers. Of these, 400 MPs would be directly elected to the lower house, 100 would be nominated by political parties for the upper house, and the President would appoint five non-political members to the upper house.
The commission further proposed reserving 10 percent of the seats in the lower house for youths and lowering the minimum age to become an MP from 25 to 21 years.
To prevent the concentration of power in a single individual or entity, the commission suggested establishing a constitutional body called the National Constitutional Council. This council would ensure checks and balances among the three branches of government and the two executive roles—the President and the Prime Minister.
The proposed council would include the President, the Chief Justice, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition (elected through Parliament), the Speakers of both chambers, Deputy Speakers from opposition parties, and a representative from other political parties.
The commission recommended limiting the Prime Minister's authority to appoint heads of constitutional bodies, such as the Election Commission and the military, and assigning these powers to the National Constitutional Council.
Moreover, the commission proposed amendments to Article 70 of the constitution to allow the Prime Minister to face a no-confidence vote in Parliament. Currently, Article 70 protects the Prime Minister from such votes. The commission also suggested a two-term limit for any individual serving as Prime Minister.
The commission outlined a framework for forming an interim government after the dissolution of Parliament. It emphasized that no single individual or entity should control the selection of advisers for such governments, delegating this responsibility to the National Constitutional Council instead.
Finally, the commission proposed changes to the Presidential election process. Rather than reflecting individual preferences, the President would be elected through an electoral college and serve a four-year term.
Recommendations of the Election Reform Commission
The Election Reform Commission made at least 150 recommendations in its report submitted to the Chief Adviser, including a proposal to limit a prime minister to two terms in office.
The commission further recommended that a prime minister should never be eligible to become president at any point in their lifetime.
Headed by Badiul Alam Majumdar, the commission also proposed that the roles of party leader, prime minister, and head of parliament be held by three separate individuals, rather than being concentrated in one person.
Additionally, the commission suggested that the opposition leader assume the role of deputy speaker.
The reform commission recommended that local body elections be held prior to the next national election.
It also urged the government to conduct these local body elections under a caretaker administration.
Furthermore, the commission advised that local body elections should be conducted in a non-political manner.
Separately, the Police Reform Commission proposed recommendations aimed at transforming the police into a more people-friendly force.
