The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday called for establishing a strong parliament first so that all reform proposals, including changes to the constitution, could be accepted creating a national consensus through discussions there.
The party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, addressing an Iftar party organised by Hefazat-e-Islam at Baridhara in the capital, said that the proposed constitution through consensus in that parliament could be called a new constitution.
Salahuddin鈥檚 made the comments when the National Citizen Party, a newly launched political party of the student and youth leaders of the July-August mass uprising against the Awami League regime, outlined its primary goal of adopting a new democratic constitution by electing a constituent assembly to establish a second republic and prevent the re-establishment of a constitutional dictatorship in the country.
鈥楾o my friends who want a new constitution through a constituent assembly, I would like to say that you have proposed extensive reforms to the reform commission, and other political parties have also proposed significant reforms,鈥� Salahuddin said.
He urged the parties to come together to form a strong parliament, where all reform proposals, including those on the constitution, would be adopted based on national consensus through discussions.
鈥榊ou can call that constitution 鈥渁 new constitution鈥�. We have no objection. And if you wish to name Bangladesh a new republic, you will do so out of your political ambition,鈥� Salahuddin said.
Salahuddin said that all the democratic forces must move forward towards their goal while maintaining their anti-fascist unity.
He emphasised the need for democratic reforms in the constitution to ensure communal harmony in the country.
