The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday presented proposals for state reforms, including proportional representation, permanent caretaker government provision, no electronic voting, no party nomination for local government elections and cancellation of party registration system.
鈥楾oday鈥檚 proposal is only for the interim government, not for any elected government,鈥� said Jamaat nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher presenting the State Reform Proposal on 10 sectors, including electoral system, judiciary, law and order, foreign affairs, parliament, employment, education and culture, at a city hotel.
鈥榃e have given 41 proposals to this government to reform the state and 10 major proposals are presented here,鈥� he said.
On law and judiciary, the party proposed the formulation of a fair and specific policy for the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court, removal of dual rule from the judiciary, effective measures to separate the judiciary from the executive branch and establishment of a separate secretariat under the Supreme Court, and High Court benches at divisional headquarters.
The party demanded repeal of all bad laws, including the Cyber Security Act 2023 and amendment to the existing laws and enactment of new laws compatible with the values 鈥嬧�媜f the people to ensure justice. It proposed a commission to ensure the proper independence of the lower courts, an independent investigation committee to investigate all criminal cases and disposal of civil and criminal case in five and three years respectively.
On the parliament, the party proposed the nomination of a deputy from the main opposition in the parliament, formation of a shadow cabinet headed by the leader of the opposition and allocation of adequate time to opposition members.
On electoral system, the party proposed proportional representation system in parliamentary elections, permanent insertion of caretaker government system in the constitution, rejection of electronic voting machine and abolition of party registration system and party nomination for local government elections.
The party proposed a search committee with the prime minister, the leader of the opposition and the chief justice to appoint the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners and vesting the National Identity Card management in the Election Commission.
On law and order, the party sought comprehensive reforms of the police and the Police Act made by the British government in 1861, a policy guideline for the police, and an independent Police Commission for appointment, transfer, promotion and dismissal of police personnel and end to the use of lethal weapons by the police.
The Jamaat proposed inclusion of religious education and moral discipline in the police training manual.
It proposes the presence of the lawyer of an accused and the guardian of a female accused during interrogation and constitution of police tribunals with judicial members.
The party proposed reforms to restore public confidence in the Rapid Action Battalion and other specialised forces.
Those who have served the RAB for the last 15 years should be brought back to their respective forces and they should not be re-employed in the battalion, the party said, adding that all types of extrajudicial killings must be stopped.
The party said that a cell should be formed for monitoring overall activities of the battalion.
If any RAB member is involved in any illegal activities, the will charge him, it added.
On public administration, the party proposed abolishing fees for government job, fixing application age limit at 35 years for next two years and 33 year after the next two years, preventing corruption, prioritising competence, efficiency and integrity instead of lobbying and party loyalty in recruitment, transfer, posting.
The party said that special measures should be made to prevent corruption in all government offices so that no one could get an opportunity to commit corruption.
It demanded cancellation of appointment made during the ousted Awami League regime through question leak, corruption, fraudulence and party considerations.
On the Anti-Corruption Commission, the party said that the commission must be formed with honest, fair, efficient and qualified people, accountability must be ensured in all sectors, the commission should be strengthened and given freedom, and steps should be taken to bring back money smuggled out of the country.
About the constitutional reform, the Jamaat said that the provision of balance of power between the president and the prime minister should be made.
The same person cannot be prime minister for more than two consecutive terms, it added.
The party also placed reform proposals for educational and cultural sector, foreign affairs sector and religion ministry.