11-party alliance rejects government move to amend Constitution

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance has rejected the government's initiative to amend the Constitution through a special parliamentary committee, saying the process bypasses the mandate given through the referendum.

Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar made the statement at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka this afternoon, saying the alliance believes constitutional reforms should be implemented in line with the July charter and the referendum verdict.

Porwar said the July charter implementation order requires elected MPs to take two oaths -- one as members of parliament and another as members of the Constitutional Reform Council.

However, he said, opposition MPs took both oaths after the election, while BNP MPs took only the oath as members of parliament.

He argued that parliament's constitutional amendment powers under Article 142 were not unlimited and cited Supreme Court rulings that struck down several constitutional amendments.

“The state has a responsibility to respect the people's verdict in the referendum and implement it through the approved process,” he said.

The alliance also demanded making the Constitutional Reform Council functional after completing the required process.

The special parliamentary committee yesterdayinvited political parties that signed the July charter to discussions on constitutional amendments. The committee is also expected to hold discussions with judges, lawyers, constitutional experts, intellectuals and newspaper editors.

The government formed a 12-member committee on July 13 after the Jamaat-led opposition declined to nominate members. The committee held its first meeting on August 4.