Law adviser Asif Nazrul on Monday said that political parties driven by vested interests always neglected reform initiatives.聽
Addressing a seminar at Dhaka University on 鈥楽tudents鈥� perspective and expectations on reforms in state institutions鈥�, he said that political parties, in general, did not accept the reforms that would make them accountable to the people.
Vested political interests may hinder the refoarm initiatives taken by the interim government, he said.
He referred to the failures of previous political reform initiatives including聽 the three-alliance political roadmap after the fall of the military ruler HM Ershad in the late 1990.
Supported by UNDP, the Centre on Budget and Policy organised the seminar at Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium at Dhaka University.聽
The law adviser said that a maximum of the reforms recommended by the six reform commissions would be possible if the majority of the political parties agreed and signed the 鈥榥ational charter鈥�, or the 鈥楯uly charter鈥�.
Citing the ongoing consensus-building approaches and drafting of the 鈥榥ational charter鈥� by the interim government, he said, 鈥極nly short-term reforms will take place if most of the political parties disagree with mid-term and long-term recommendations. But the students and mass people didn鈥檛 sacrifice their lives only for short-term remedies.鈥�
If the political parties agree, an elected government can continue the reform activities, he said. The seminar began with a presentation of a study where 2024 students from 10 higher educational institutions responded.
Discussing the key findings, Dhaka University鈥檚 development studies teacher Professor Kazi Maruful Islam said that the majority of respondents wanted a proportional representation electoral system, grassroots opinion-based selection of candidates in the elections, political influence-free administration and anti-corruption drives, accessible judiciary and better services by police.
鈥楾he students also recommended the abolition of all laws infringing their freedom of expression,鈥� he said.
Electoral reform commission chief and national consensus commission member Badiul Alam Majumder said that the fruits of the student-mass uprising might be snatched if the youths neglected the reform processes.
Another member of the consensus commission, Iftekharuzzaman, said that all the reform initiatives would be futile if there was no reform in the education sector and political parties.
Dhaka University鈥檚 sociology teacher Samina Lutfa said that the national consensus commission would not bring inclusive results if it excluded women and ethnic minority people from discussions.聽
Dhaka University vice chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, Jatiya Nagarik Committee joint convener Sarwar Tusher, Chhatra Dal leader Mallick Wasi Uddin, Biplobi Chhatra Moitree president Nuzifa Hasin Rasha, Ganatantrik Chhatra Council leader Saidul Haque, social science student Sarbamitra Chakma, and physically challenged student Uzzal Mahmud also spoke.