The government will form a committee to amend the constitution instead of a constitution reform council, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said, adding that all amendments will be carried out based on the July Charter.
The home minister made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to journalists after the passing-out parade of the 43rd BCS (Police) batch at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Sardah, Rajshahi.
The July Charter, prepared during the interim government’s tenure, contains detailed proposals for constitutional amendments. The interim government had issued an order to form a Constitution Reform Council and approve these proposals in parliament.
While lawmakers from Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) took oath as members of the council, lawmakers from the BNP and its alliance did not.
In response to questions from journalists, Salahuddin said public expectations and the aspirations of the martyrs of the student-mass uprising would be given utmost priority in the amendment process.
“In particular, the entire amendment process will be completed through consensus based on the ‘July National Charter’ signed among political parties,” he said.
Asked whether Ziaur Rahman’s name would be included in the constitution as the proclaimer of independence, the home minister said such matters would be discussed in detail once the committee on constitutional amendment is formed.
He further stated that the committee would prepare its draft by prioritising the matters recognised in the July National Charter as a document of political consensus.
Final decisions will subsequently be made through discussions following the prescribed process of first, second, and third readings in the National Parliament, he added.
