Jatiya Party on Thursday proposed 19-point reform proposals including repeal of the 15th amendment to the constitution and reinstatement of the caretaker government system for holding general elections.
JP also proposed not allowing the prime minister to serve more than two terms, establishing a balance of power between the president and the prime minister, changing the presidential election system, and allowing lawmakers to vote beyond party decisions.
JP chairman GM Quader came up with the proposals at a press conference at the party chairman鈥檚 office in the capital鈥檚 Banani.
He said, 鈥榃e would like to suggest repealing the 15th amendment of the Constitution and reintroducing provisions for forming a caretaker government to conduct elections.鈥�
Regarding the proposal to balance the power of the prime minister, GM Quader said, 鈥極ur proposal is to include a provision in the constitution that the head of the ruling party and the prime minister should not be the same person.鈥� About the proposal to allow a person to serve a maximum of two terms as prime minister, he said, 鈥楬istory shows that if a person holds the highest office for a long period, that person tends to centralise power and become a dictator.鈥�
The JP chairman also proposed the inclusion of a provision in the revised constitution to allow lawmakers to vote against party decisions. 鈥業 propose to change Article 70 of the constitution accordingly.鈥�
Highlighting the proposal to change the method of presidential election, he said, 鈥楾he appointment of the president should not be based on a simple majority, but on the vote of a three-fourth majority of the members of parliament.鈥�
The JP chairman鈥檚 19 proposals also include a provision for the impeachment of the President and a provision for two deputy speakers.
