On the occasion of International Democracy Day (September 15), the youth wing of NCP, Jatiya Jubo Shakti, organised a seminar titled “What Kind of Constitution Do We Want for Establishing Democracy in Bangladesh?”
The seminar was held on Monday evening at the central office of Jatiya Jubo Shakti. Attendees included National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhter Hossain, Joint Conveners Sarwar Tushar and Javed Rasin, Joint Member Secretaries Zahirul Islam Musa and Abdullah Al Amin, as well as the youth wing’s Convenor Advocate Md Tariqul Islam, Member Secretary Dr Jahedul Islam, Chief Organiser Engineer Farhad Sohael, and other top central leaders.
In his speech at the event, Convenor Tariqul Islam said, “The current constitution of Bangladesh does not recognise people’s basic needs as fundamental rights. This is why two important members of the Constituent Assembly did not sign the constitution.”
He added, “Only a Constituent Assembly elected by the people can formulate a constitution. However, in 1972, the Constituent Assembly was formed with representatives elected in 1969 under the Pakistani government. A Constituent Assembly with representatives elected in an independent country was not formed. As a result, the constitution has failed to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people. We do not want a constitution that does not address the basic needs and aspirations of the people. A new constitution is needed to prevent Awami League from returning.”
He also remarked that the term “Muktijuddho” (“Liberation War”) has not been included in the constitution for 54 years.
Member Secretary Dr Jahedul Islam said in his speech, “The constitution has been mutilated and made grotesque by chopping and changing its parts. We must throw this constitution into the dustbin and write a new one. We do not want a constitution that ensures voting rights in the darkness of night instead of civil rights.”
NCP leader Akhter Hossain said, “We want a constitution that can protect people’s democracy. A constitution that can embody the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh, safeguard their voting rights, keep the judiciary independent, ensure accountability for those in power, and decentralise power instead of centralising it.”
Emphasising the need for a constitution that ensures balance in state power, the NCP member secretary further said, “We want a constitution that can encompass all classes of people in Bangladesh. It must uphold the rights of all religious communities, all ethnic groups, and all peoples of Bangladesh,” noting that these aspirations could face challenges without a new constitution
Describing the July Charter as an “asset,” Akhtar Hossain raised the question of whether it would be implemented or left as a mere promise.
At the seminar, NCP Joint Member Secretary Zahirul Islam said, “The constitution adopted in ’72 contained all the structures of fascism. Because just a few years later, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman destroyed whatever structure the constitution had by establishing BaKSAL.”
At the seminar, Javed Rasin said, “NCP will not join any simultaneous movement. NCP has its own demands, and political parties that align with those demands – we will carry out movements or programmes in our own way for those demands.”
Sarwar Tushar described the current government’s formation based on Article 106 of the constitution as a great deception. Highlighting the main point of Article 106, he said, “A mass uprising occurred in Bangladesh. After that, to determine whether a government could be formed, Sheikh Hasina’s president sent a reference to the chief justice, who was then a fugitive. This government was formed based on that reference. There can be no bigger deception than this.”
This NCP leader further said, “Where is the certified copy of that Article 106? We want to see it. Show us the copy. Article 106 mandates that a hearing must be held. Have any of you heard about a hearing?”
The NCP leader said, “When the implementation of the July Charter is discussed, they show us the court. They show us Article 106. Article 106 is a constitutional matter. How can an ultra-constitutional issue be resolved through a constitutional provision? The July Charter cannot be sustained through Article 106, nor can the parliament.”
Leaders and activists of Jubo Shakti’s Dhaka wing were also present during the seminar.
