Top citizens for free lawmakers in JS
Eminent citizens yesterday firmly recommended parliament amend article 70 of the constitution to free lawmakers from the absolute control of their parties in the House.
The recommendation was made to provide MPs with adequate freedom to perform their due role in the parliament independently without hampering the cabinet's stability.
The existing article 70 bars lawmakers from going against their parties' decisions in the House even if they do not agree with those, and a lawmaker will lose his or her parliament membership for violating it.
Participating in talks with the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment, some eminent citizens also spoke for bringing changes to the constitution to bring balance of power between the president and the prime minister.
Almost all participants opposed maintaining Islam's status as the state religion, and keeping the phrase BISMILLAH-AR-RAHMAN-AR-RAHIM above the preamble of the constitution, as those contradict secularism.
They also demanded banning of religion based political parties and organisations.
Eighteen out of total 26 invited intellectuals participated in the talks held in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The special committee will sit today with editors of different daily newspapers.
After the talks, many participants disclosed to reporters the suggestions they made to the special committee.
"I spoke for making the article 70 flexible. MPs must be given freedom," said eminent economist Prof Rehman Sobhan.
He said MPs should be allowed to express their opinions freely, excepting on no-confidence motion against the cabinet, and passage of the budget.
About the president's power during caretaker governments, he said, "Abuse of power by the president last time created a crisis. Therefore, the changes to the constitution should be brought in such a way so the president cannot abuse the power during tenure of caretaker governments."
Former adviser to a caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan said the power of the president during elected governments should be examined afresh as well.
"The president should have the power to send back any recommendation of the premier if the former does not like the recommendation. In that case, the cabinet will reconsider it," Akbar Ali suggested.
About prospective changes to the caretaker government system, he said no decision will bring positive outcome, if all political parties do not reach a consensus.
Some participants however recommended that the caretaker government system should remain in the constitution for holding two more parliamentary elections, said Shahriar Kabir while talking to the reporters.
Eminent educationist and former adviser to a caretaker government, Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, proposed for inclusion of a provision in the constitution for maintaining the caretaker government system till 2021, a meeting source said.
About eminent jurists' opinion for not appointing former chief justices as chief advisers to caretaker governments, Advocate Sultana Kamal said many participants of yesterday echoed the view.
Sultana Kamal, also a former adviser to a caretaker government, said it was expected that the interim government system would not continue after holding a few parliamentary polls. But the political culture has not improved, she added.
Chief of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Dr Mizanur Rahman said the constitution says no person shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment or treatment.
He proposed for inclusion of a provision of punishing members of law enforcement agencies for violation of that clause. "The human rights situation will improve if the provision is put in the constitution," NHRC chief said.
Sultana Kamal, who is also an eminent human rights activist, supported the NHRC chief's proposal.
About the state religion, National Prof Kabir Chowdhury said the participants categorically told the special committee that the state religion and BISMILLAH-AR-RAHMAN-AR-RAHIM cannot remain in the constitution, and political parties based on religion must be banned.
Shahriar Kabir, executive president of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, said two generals Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad inserted BISMILLAH-AR-RAHMAN-AR-RAHIM and the status of Islam as state religion in the constitution for their own political purposes, not for people's welfare.
Dhaka University Vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, journalists ABM Musa and Syed Abul Maksud, Prof Muntasir Mamun, and writer Syed Shamsul Haque also joined the talks among others.
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