Staff Correspondent

The Constitutional Reform Commission while recommending for constitutional amelioration has focused on seven main objectives to establish an effective democracy, ensuring fundamental human rights and accountability.

The seven objectives are-

(1) Building a non-discriminatory democratic system, ensuring equality, human dignity and social justice as promised during the War of Liberation in 1971 and student uprising in 2024;

(2) Reflecting people’s aspiration to build a participatory democracy as it aspired by the people during 2024 uprising;

(3) Ensuring active participation of the cross section of people in the politics and the government;

(4) Preventing the rise of any kind of fascist regime in future;

(5) Separating three state organs- executive, legislature and judiciary to ensure balance of power;

(6) Decentralizing the state power and empowering them adequately; and finally

(7) Taking necessary measures to safeguard the independence and sovereignty of the country, constitutional bodies and organizations created under the law.

To determine the objectives, the Commission has considered the political commitment in the Declaration of Independence issued on April 10, 1971, i.e. equality, human dignity and social justice along with the popular aspiration of the anti-fascist mass uprising in 2024, i.e. the formation of a non-discriminatory democratic state, as the basis.

In addition, the Commission has considered the 1971 War of Independence in the context of the establishment of the right to self-determination and human dignity of the people of Bangladesh and the long history of the struggle against discrimination.

While preparing the constitutional reform proposals the Commission has considered the Liberation War of 1971 from the view of establishing the rights of self-determination and human dignity and long history of anti-discriminatory movement.

The Constitutional Reform Commission has submitted its report recommending radical change in the constitution to reduce the absolute power of the Prime Minister and bar a person to hold the office of the Prime Minister not more than two times.

The Constitutional Reform Commission, led by Professor Ali Riaz, submitted its report to Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus on January 15 which summary was made available on the commission's website later.

The Constitutional Reform Commission has recommended from bringing change in the constitution, including its basic principles, parliament and interim government structure, in the areas of expanding the scope of fundamental rights, decentralization of the judiciary, local government strengthening and establishing a National Constitutional Council.

Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus constituted the Constitutional Reform Commission on October 7, 2024 headed by Professor Ali Riaz.