Speakers in a discussion on Wednesday demanded a revamp of the constitution to plug loopholes preventing any dictators from rising in future.
They also wanted a permanent commission to deal with problems in key sectors, including banking, health, education and civil administration, during the discussion arranged by the Centre for Policy Dialogue in a city hotel.
Criticising the role of law enforcement and intelligence agencies during the student-led mass protests, they said that trials for crimes against humanity, and money laundering and financial crimes should be carried out in proper courts.
鈥榃e don鈥檛 want kangaroo courts,鈥� said Badiul Alam Majumdar, country director of the Hunger Project-Bangladesh, while taking part in the discussion participated in by around 30 speakers for over three hours.
The think tank will prepare immediate and mid-term action plans for the interim government that has assumed power after a mass uprising overthrew then prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, however, criticised the appointment of the new chief justice directly from the High Court by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Ynuus.
Speakers said that the interim government should design a reform agenda and plan the time for its implementation and make it public. The main aim of the interim government should be to find out a political settlement for holding a free and fair election, they said.
Former comptroller and auditor general Muslim Chowdhury said that the golden opportunity for revamping the constitution achieve through the student-led mass uprising should not be given to the political parties.
The present constitution should be revamped since there were many elements for the creation of an autocratic government, he said while indicating at the immediate past regime led by Sheikh Hasina.
Local government expert Tofail Ahmed added that the interim government should not rely on the present intelligence system.
Terming the interim government excessively reliant on executives from non-governmental organisations, he suggested inclusion of more bureaucrats for running the administration successfully.
He also suggested that the chief adviser should not keep so many ministries under his portfolio.
Several students, including a coordinator Nusrat Tabassum of the Student Movement Against Discrimination, participated in the discussion and expressed their aspirations from the interim government.聽
Tabassum demanded a system that ensured political parties would not be able to use students as their goons.
Blasting the internet blackout for five days during the movement, Tabassum said that the information and communication technology sector faced a huge setback due to the blackout.
The students demanded cancellation of the Cyber Security Act and proper documentation of the recent mass movement.
Socialist Labour Front president Razequzzaman Ratan placed a host of demands, including employment injury scheme for the workers across sectors, and more benefits for remittance senders.
A number of speakers, including BD job.com limited chief executive officer AKM Fahim Masroor and former adviser to caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury, said that increase in pay and perks for the public officials intensified discriminations in society.
Fahim Masroor said that under the pay scale implemented in 2015 for government officials their pay and perks almost doubled.
Terming that pay scale as the root cause of discontent, he said that salary packages should be reduced if necessary.
He warned that the interim government should ensure the energy security while referring to the latest decision of India on Tuesday that would allow the Adani group to sell in the domestic market the electricity generated for export to Bangladesh in case of delay in payment.
Rasheda K Chowdhury demanded higher allocation for education and health while emphasising the need for curbing fund wastage. She said that cars for deputy commissioners and police superintendents were unnecessary.
Centre for Policy Dialogue executive director Fahmida Khatun chaired the session that offered one minute silence commemorating martyrs of the recent mass uprising.
It distinguished fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman while moderating the discussion said that a separate platform should be established for the students so they could remain visible after returning to study.