The Amar Bangladesh Party, after their discussion with the National Consensus Commission on Monday, said that they had changed their position on certain points of constitutional reform proposals.
The party leaders said that they, in their opinion submitted earlier to the NCC on 166-point questionnaire on reforms, did not support bicameral legislature, presidential election through the Electoral College system and youth quota in the parliament.
But, after Monday鈥檚 meeting with the NCC at the LD Auditorium of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka, the party leaders said that they now supported bicameral legislature, presidential election and youth quota in the parliament if their party鈥檚 concerns over the issues were addressed.
The meeting chaired by NCC vice-chairman Professor Ali Riaz at the LD Auditorium continued for three hours until 6:00pm.
The party leaders, however, said that they did not change their position on other reform proposals.
On March 17, the AB Party submitted its opinion on NCC鈥檚 166-point questionnaire, agreeing on 108 points, partially agreeing on 26 points and disagreeing on 32 points.
AB Party joint secretary Sunny Abdul Haque, after holding the meeting with the NCC, said that his party would agree on the proposed bicameral legislature and Electoral College system for electing the country鈥檚 president if the party鈥檚 concerns over the issues were addressed.
鈥榃e strongly disagreed on the proposed provincial governance. We also expressed our concern over the proposed four-year tenure of a government,鈥� Sunny said.聽聽聽
He added that his party sought the definition of 鈥榶outh鈥� to comply with the proposed 10 per cent youth quota in the lower house or national assembly.聽
He also said that the commission members noted the party-proposed 鈥楤ahutattwabad鈥� instead of 鈥楤ahutwabad鈥�, as the Bangla interpretation of 鈥榩luralism鈥�.
Among the AB Party leaders, senior vice chairman Professor Abdul Wahab Minar, retired lieutenant colonel Didarul Alam, joint general secretary Zobaer Ahmed Bhuiyan, Abdullah Al Mamun and Nasrin Sultana Mili participated in the dialogue.
NCC will hold a dialogue with the Nagarik Oikya at the LD Auditorium today.
The NCC on March 20 began its dialogues to reach a consensus on reform proposals recommended by five reform commissions.
Before the Eid break, the commission held meetings with the Liberal Democratic Party, Khelafat Majlis, the Bangladesh Labour Party, and the Rashtra Sangskar Andolan.