Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has said his party is making maximum efforts to help build a broad national consensus on key political and constitutional reforms.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after the eighth day of second-phase talks between political parties and the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, he highlighted the BNP’s willingness to compromise on major issues.
“We have already reached consensus on many points. All parties agreed that except for the money bill and the vote of confidence, members of parliament will have freedom in other matters,” Salahuddin said.
Rejecting claims that the BNP was resisting reforms, he pointed out that the party had proposed a two-term, 10-year maximum limit for a prime minister’s tenure during their lifetime to prevent any future authoritarianism. “We want to establish a balance in the system so no one becomes a dictator again,” he added.
On the day’s agenda, which included redistricting of parliamentary constituencies and possible reforms to the caretaker government system, Salahuddin said there was near-unanimous agreement. “Regarding redistricting, I proposed forming a specialized committee under Article 119, and everyone supported it. While there were some differing opinions on whether it should be a separate body or a specialized commission, we all agreed on legislating a committee with clear mandates.”
Discussing the caretaker government issue, Salahuddin noted that the BNP prefers a three-month tenure for such an administration, with an option for a one-month extension under extraordinary circumstances. “But it must be firmly set at three months,” he said.
He also suggested exploring options to appoint the chief adviser outside of the judiciary to enhance acceptance. “Right now, it is confined to the judiciary, starting with the immediate past Chief Justice and ending with the Appellate Division. We are considering alternatives so that, based on national consensus, the chief adviser could be appointed by another process acceptable to all,” he explained. Subsequent advisers would be appointed on the recommendation of the chief adviser, drawn from individuals qualified to be members of parliament.
On parliament’s functioning, Salahuddin reiterated that BNP had agreed lawmakers would have independence on all matters except for passing the budget and the vote of confidence. He also noted that local government elections were not under the caretaker government's jurisdiction, which remains focused on national and presidential polls under the Election Commission’s authority.
Salahuddin concluded by stressing that the BNP was providing its fullest cooperation to build a national consensus. “We are working to ensure no one can again undermine democracy. We hope these discussions will soon result in a consensus document reflecting our collective commitment,” he said.
