Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday proposed constitutional reforms to prevent any individual from simultaneously holding the positions of prime minister and political party chief, arguing this would ensure proper checks and balances in governance.
The Islamist party made the recommendation during its second round of talks with the National Consensus Commission at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban’s LD Hall, where an 11-member Jamaat delegation, led by Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, met with Commission Vice Chairman Prof Ali Riaz.
Jamaat’s proposal seeks to establish a system where the prime minister and party president must be different individuals, following models seen in India and the United States. Taher cited examples including India’s arrangement where Sonia Gandhi led the Congress Party while Manmohan Singh served as prime minister, and the current scenario where Narendra Modi holds the premiership without heading BJP.
The party also pushed for limiting prime ministerial tenure to two terms (maximum 10 years) per individual.
Regarding institutional reforms, Jamaat proposed establishing a special taskforce to oversee the Anti-Corruption Commission’s activities, citing concerns about the ACC’s own alleged corruption. The suggested watchdog would investigate irregularities and recommend disciplinary actions like suspensions for accused officials.
On electoral reforms, the party demanded legal amendments to hold Election Commissioners accountable for misconduct, both during and after their tenure, proposing the Supreme Judicial Council as the investigating body.
While supporting the concept of a National Constitutional Council, Jamaat suggested excluding the president and chief justice from its composition to preserve their roles as independent arbiters during political crises. These proposals follow the party’s April 26 endorsement of other reforms, including proportional representation and a bicameral parliament system during initial talks with the Commission.
The National Consensus Commission, formed in February 2025 under Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, has now consulted over 30 political parties including BNP as part of its mandate to build national agreement on constitutional reforms. Sunday’s dialogue focused specifically on governance restructuring after previous discussions about electoral system changes.