National Union Parishad Forum (NUPF) and Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) held a roundtable on '14th constitutional amendment bill and status of the local government' at the National Press Club in the city yesterday

The government must hold public debate to solicit the opinion of the people to bring any fundamental changes in the constitution, said the speakers at a roundtable yesterday.

The speakers also denounced the proposed 14th constitutional amendment bill as they said it would cripple the primacy of elected local government bodies at different tiers.

The roundtable on '14th constitutional amendment bill and status of the local government' was co-organised by National Union Parishad Forum (NUPF) and Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) at the National Press Club in the city.

"We strongly condemn the government move to pass the amendment bill so hurriedly and call for holding meaningful talks with the people postponing the passage of the bill," said the NUPF President Golam Sarwar, also the chairman of Tebaria Union Parishad, Natore.

MAB President and Tongi Pourasabha Chairman Azmat Ullah Khan said the move is against the basic spirit of the constitution and the verdict of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division in Kudrat-e-Elahi Panir versus Bangladesh Case.

"The bill proves the attitude of the government to ignore the Supreme Court judgement with regard to local government," said Amirul Islam, a senior advocate of the court, terming the move a totalitarian attitude of the government.

"The constitution is a sacred document and the government must solicit public opinion before amending it," said legal expert Dr. M Zahir adding, "There is no need to hurry to make such an unnecessary amendment."

Alex Sutton, director of the US-based International Republican Institute, said, "It's surprising to see the speedy process in which an amendment is being made to the constitution."

He said out of 10,000 proposals, only 34 amendments to the US constitution has so far been incorporated.

"Such hasty change to the constitution may cause civic anxiety and in someway international skepticism," Alex added.

Prof. Aminul Islam of Jahangir Nagar University said, "I do not find any merit of this amendment which is being passed in an arbitrary manner and whose intention seems to be unfair."

Advocate Shahdeen Malik, Prof. Nazrul Islam of Dhaka University, Taleya Rahman of Democracywatch, Director Owen Lippert of US-based National Democratic Institute, and William J. Cartier of Local Government Initiative spoke at the roundtable moderated by Mohammed Jahangir.