Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said on Sunday that while his party supports implementing major reforms through the parliament, a signed consensus-based national charter would compel members of the next Jatiya Sangsad to implement those reforms.
Speaking to journalists after a six-hour-long dialogue with the National Consensus Commission at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka, he said the BNP delegation proposed that a former prime minister should be eligible to return to office after at least one term out of power, provided their party secures a majority.
The Constitution Reform Commission has earlier recommended limiting a person to serving as prime minister for a maximum of two terms.
Referring to the dialogue as a productive exchange of opinions between the BNP and the NCC, Salahuddin stated that the proposals would require further discussion at their party forum. 鈥榃e have taken the ongoing state reform initiative very sincerely,鈥� he said.
Chaired by NCC vice-chair Ali Riaz, the dialogue was part of the NCC鈥檚 efforts to build a political consensus on 166 key reform proposals. These proposals, drawn from five reform commissions, cover constitutional, electoral, judicial, public administration, and Anti-Corruption Commission reforms.
The Sunday meeting was the second round of talks between the NCC and the BNP.
The BNP has been invited again for a follow-up meeting with the NCC on April 22 to conclude the dialogue.
Addressing the proposal to curtail the prime minister鈥檚 executive powers by empowering the president, Salahuddin said new clauses would be added to Article 48(3) of the constitution.
However, he cautioned that such changes must be carefully considered in the context of the Westminster-style parliamentary system and debated thoroughly in the next parliament.
On the issue of appointing the chief adviser for a caretaker government, Salahuddin noted that a final recommendation should be adopted only after the Supreme Court delivers its verdict on the pending 13th Amendment case.
Meanwhile, the BNP suggested that the NCC reconsider its proposal to appoint the chief adviser from the judiciary, offering alternative options.
The BNP, in principle, agreed to proposals related to strengthening local聽 government and forming district coordination councils. However, Salahuddin said such reforms, if agreed to, should be implemented through new legislation rather than constitutional amendments.
While the party supported banning the use of political symbols in local government elections, it maintained that conducting such polls under the Election Commission鈥檚 authority would require further analysis in the next parliament.
He also said that reforms concerning the Anti-Corruption Commission and the public administration, not linked to constitutional amendment, could be implemented now on the basis of consensus.
Today, the NCC will hold dialogues with the Khelafat Majlish and the Jatiya Gana Front.
Beginning on March 20, the NCC held dialogues with 11 political parties till Sunday.