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BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday speaks at the National Consensus Commission at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. | BSS photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said their party agreed on 25 constitutional reform proposals given by the Reform Commission.

‘We agree on 25 of the reform proposals and have given partial opinions on 25 more. We have disagreements on the rest,’ he told reporters following a meeting with National Consensus Commission on reforms.


Ahmed said they will try to reach a consensus on the basic proposals and will do what is logical and sit again if required.

Noting that opinions have been expressed on 89 points regarding the reform of the judiciary, he said, adding everything should be constitutional as BNP wants independence of judiciary and the process should be constitutional.

Ahmed said the Election Commission should be the authority to issue NID and make demarcation of constituencies.

Earlier, a five-member BNP delegation led by BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed joined the meeting of the National Consensus Commission at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Ismail Zabihullah and Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal were in the delegation.

National Consensus Commission vice-chairman and Constitutional Reform Commission chief Professor Ali Riaz chaired the meeting which was attended by commission members Badiul Alam Majumder, retired Justice Emdadul Haque, Iftekharuzzaman and special assistant to chief adviser Monir Haider.

Consensus Commission vice-chairman Ali Riaz said the commission wanted to make a national charter based on consensus with political parties.

‘The main goal is to establish a lasting democracy. BNP’s role for democracy is commendable,’ he said.

The first meeting of the National Consensus Commission with all political parties, including the BNP, was held at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in Dhaka on February 15.

The meeting was presided over by Commission chairman and chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

National Consensus Commission began formal discussions on March 20 to finalise the recommendations made by the reform commissions.

The first meeting was with the Liberal Democratic Party. So far, they have completed meetings with 11 political parties.

The BNP submitted its written opinion to the National Consensus Commission on March 23.