Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday said the country's future political course must be shaped in line with the people's aspirations and national will to ensure a sustainable democratic system.
He stressed the need for broad political consensus and dialogue among all stakeholders, including opposition parties, to determine the country's future direction and introduce reforms that would prevent the emergence of authoritarian rule.
He made the remarks at a seminar titled "Constitutional Crisis in Post-Independence Bangladesh and BAKSAL", the first in the "Democratic Journey" seminar series organized by the July Memorial Museum in Dhaka.
He said constitutional reforms should reflect the aspirations of the July mass uprising and the expectations of the younger generation, with a focus on establishing institutional checks and balances to ensure that no individual or government could exercise unchecked power.
The minister said one of the government's key goals is to establish effective watchdog institutions to protect democracy.
These include ensuring judicial independence, maintaining an impartial Election Commission, introducing a permanent legal framework for a caretaker government system and safeguarding press freedom.
The seminar was chaired by Ehsan Mahmud, director general of the July Memorial Museum, while former interim government Law Adviser Asif Nazrul delivered the keynote speech.
Firoz Ahmed, a former member of the Constitution Reform Commission, and Supreme Court lawyer Habibur Rahman also took part in the discussion.
Salahuddin said that although the Constitution had laid down clear provisions for running the state after independence, the introduction of a one-party system through BAKSAL in 1975 had paved the way for a constitutional crisis and authoritarian rule.
He said the abolition of the caretaker government system through the 15th Amendment in 2011 was a major factor behind the erosion of democracy and the rise of fascist forces in the post-BAKSAL period.
This political course eventually led to the July 2024 mass uprising, when students and people from different walks of life united to bring down the authoritarian regime, he added.
The minister said the country's future political system must reflect the will of the people.
On judicial reforms, he said independence of the judiciary alone was not enough; accountability was also necessary to ensure that no institution of the state could exercise unchecked power.
He also stressed the need for dialogue and political consensus among all stakeholders, including opposition parties, on various reform proposals, including the introduction of an upper house, proportional representation in elections and the holding of referendums.
The minister said the government had no intention of pursuing political vendettas or creating divisions.
He called for unity among political parties and people, saying broad political consensus, guided by the spirit of the July mass uprising and the aspirations of the younger generation, was essential to building a democratic and prosperous Bangladesh.
