The constitution reform commission has proposed several changes in the existing constitution, including widening citizens鈥� legal protection for life and overhauling judicial and governance structures.
The commission, in its full report published on Saturday afternoon, recommended replacing 鈥榚qual rights under the law鈥� with 鈥榚qual protection and benefits under the law鈥�.
The commission also suggested revising article 145A, stating that the government would require approval from the National Assembly and the Senate for any treaty, agreement, or document related to defence and strategic partnerships, borders, national security, natural resources, energy, and food security.
It also proposed to make the Election Commission, Human Rights Commission,聽 Public Service Commission, Local Government Commission, and Anti-Corruption Commission constitutional bodies.
Formed on October 7, 2024, the commission handed over the full report with recommendations to chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on January 15. A summary of the report was made public then.
According to the full report, a proposal was made to include separate articles on the protection of the right to life and child rights. Additionally, there were proposals for provisions against slavery, trafficking, sexual trafficking, and punishment for torture, cruelty and disgrace.
A separate chapter was proposed for constitutional protection against extrajudicial killings and forced abductions. The commission recommended that the constitution must explicitly state provisions for the protection of physical integrity and the safeguarding of body parts.
The recommendations also include provisions for free and compulsory education up to a certain level, the inclusion of higher education and specially abled children, and guidelines to prevent the government from monopolising access to information and communication systems.
The commission also recommended abolishing several articles, including 13, 15, 17, 18, 18A, 19, 20, 23, 23A, 24, and 25, which cover principles of ownership, basic necessities, free and compulsory education, public health and morality, environmental and biodiversity protection, equality of opportunity, work as a right and duty, national culture, tribal and ethnic communities, and national monuments.
These articles were proposed to be included in the fundamental rights and freedoms part of the constitution.
The commission also recommended substituting 鈥楯anaganatantri Bangladesh鈥� for 鈥楪anaprajatantri Bangladesh鈥� as the constitutional name of the state and replacing the term 鈥榩rojatantra鈥� with 鈥榥agariktantra鈥� in the Bangla text of the constitution.
According to the report, the commission suggested the abolition of secularism and socialism, terming those irrelevant in the present context of Bangladesh.
The establishment of a bicameral legislature was proposed, consisting of a 400-member National Assembly, with 10 per cent of seats reserved for the youths, and a 100-member Senate elected through a proportional representation system, with five additional members appointed by the president.
As per the proposals, any amendment to the constitution would require the approval of two-thirds of the members from both the National Assembly and the Senate, followed by a referendum.
The commission also recommended the establishment of a National Constitution Council.
It proposed that the president be elected by an electoral college comprising 505 votes from the National Assembly and the Senate, 64 votes from district coordination councils, and one vote from each city corporation coordination council.
The commission suggested that any individual would not be able to hold the office of the president or the prime minister for more than two terms.
To promote judicial decentralisation, it recommended the establishment of permanent benches with equal authority to the High Court in every division.
It also proposed the formation of an independent judicial appointment commission and a permanent attorney service, and renaming lower courts as local courts.