Boycott, walkout bog down JS body meeting

Boycott and walkout marred Sunday’s meeting between the National Parliament’s Special Committee on Constitutional Amendment and signatories to the July National Charter, exposing deep divisions over how the Charter’s referendum mandate should be implemented.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance boycotted the meeting, while Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) and Bangladesh Socialist Party (JSD) stayed away. Rashtra Sanskar Andolan joined the meeting but walked out before its conclusion in protest.

The second exchange-of-views meeting was held at 2:30pm in the Cabinet Room of the Parliament Building. Representatives of 26 political parties and alliances that signed the July Charter were invited to discuss constitutional amendments aimed at implementing the referendum verdict.

The meeting began at 2:30pm in the Cabinet Room of the Parliament Building. Representatives of 26 political parties and alliances that signed the July Charter had been invited to discuss constitutional amendments aimed at implementing the referendum verdict.

Special committee sources noted that two representatives, at the level of president and general secretary, from each of the 26 parties and alliances were invited. At its first meeting on August 4, the committee decided to consult political parties and other stakeholders before finalising the proposed amendments.

The opposition parties have maintained that formation of a Constitution Reform Council is a prerequisite for constitutional reform in accordance with the referendum verdict. They argue that proceeding through a parliamentary special committee instead of forming the council makes the process unacceptable. They had earlier declined to nominate representatives to the committee.

At a press conference at the National Press Club, Jamaat e Islami secretary general Mia Golam Parwar, also a leader of the 11 Party Alliance, noted that the special committee had invited signatories to the July Charter to participate in the exchange of views.

"Top leaders of the 11 Party Alliance met and decided that they would not conceptually support any initiative to amend the constitution."

Bangladesh Khilafah Majlis publicity secretary Hasan Junaid, in a press release, declared, "Any initiative to amend the constitution that bypasses the referendum verdict is inconsistent with the aspirations of the people. Bangladesh Khilafah Majlis does not support constitutional amendment; rather, it advocates for constitutional reform based on public opinion and expectations, in light of the referendum verdict."
The party also maintained that there was no question of legitimising any process that ignored or went beyond the referendum verdict.

NCP media committee member Yasir Arafat told the media, "No one from the NCP is participating in the exchange of views."

Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) general secretary Asaduzzaman Fuad noted in a press release that his party had decided not to attend and had informed the authorities through a letter.

Islami Andolan also declined the invitation. Its assistant secretary general Ahmad Abdul Kaiyum remarked, "Islami Andolan Bangladesh does not wish to participate in the government's game of amending the constitution to suit its own preferences, in defiance of the July referendum decision regarding constitutional reform. Therefore, Islami Andolan Bangladesh will not join today's meeting."

He added, "Islami Andolan Bangladesh believes that constitutional reform must be carried out in accordance with the July Charter and the referendum decision."

Bangladesh Socialist Party (JSD) also confirmed that it would not attend.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD) and Bangladesh JSD were not invited as they did not sign the July Charter, although they participated in the dialogue on it. BASAD general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz remarked, "We were not invited."

The 12 member special committee was formed on July 13 during the second session of Parliament, with Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed as its chairperson. Five seats were reserved for the opposition, but Jamaat e Islami, NCP and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish did not nominate members, maintaining that they rejected the committee's conceptual basis. The BNP has indicated that any names subsequently proposed by Jamaat would be accommodated.

Meanwhile, Rashtra Sanskar Andolan attended Sunday's meeting but walked out before its conclusion. Its president Hasnat Kaiyum noted that the movement thanked the committee for the invitation but left in protest against the failure to constitute the Constitution Reform Council.

He urged the authorities to form the council through consensus among all political parties, pointing out that the implementation directive requires constitutional reform to be completed within 180 days and that the stipulated timeframe remains in force.