Shipping, Textiles and Jute Adviser Brigadier General (Retired) M Sakhawat Hossain on Saturday said introduction of bicameral legislature is a must for Bangladesh as it will pave ways for people from different backgrounds to come and participate in legislative procedures.
"Bicameral legislature is a must for Bangladesh. If it can be implemented, I think people from various backgrounds can come and make guidelines…during election, there might be no need to form the caretaker government as well, if there is a bicameral legislature," said Sakhawat.
The adviser was addressing a session of National Dialogue 2024 titled "Unity, Reform, and Elections" organized by the Forum for Bangladesh Studies at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the capital's Khamarbari, reports BSS.
Sakhawat said, "In Bangladesh, there is no regulatory system for political parties and thus, an act for political parties must be there otherwise, we cannot see the duties and responsibilities of the political parties".
"What we see actually on the ground is that the political parties are being formed and then engaged in conflicts," he said, adding, "Therefore, I think a political party act is very crucial which can be formulated without even constitutional amendment".
The adviser strongly urged bringing an end to nomination trade saying, "There is a tendency among the civil or military officials, bureaucrats or businessmen to become parliament members after their retirement, with no previous political engagement and they spend Tk 60-80 million for nomination which we call nomination trade."
"We must bring an end to the practice," the adviser said adding, "There had been a three years moratorium period-a political leader or businessman must spend three years at least as a member of the party concerned before vying for elections-which was removed. It must be restored".
"We see that some political parties now are visiting people and asking for money saying they need money for elections as they were out of power for 15 years", the adviser said.
" Like many other countries, political parties should go for opening joint stock companies to collect funds from people", he added.
Sakhawat urged the political parties to encourage students to do politics and not to consider them as rivals, saying, "If you or we want to do politics with students…you all have already seen what would be the consequences. Students will certainly do politics".
The young people definitely have the right to do politics and participate in the national elections through forming political parties, he said, "I think we need young blood to flow in our politics. There is no point in discouraging them. And I hope you will not do it".
The adviser later emphasized on making a balance of power between the president and prime minister in the constitution while doing the reforms.
BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, New Age editor Nurul Kabir, Ganosamhati Andolon Chief Coordinator Junaid Saki, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Shahidullah Farazi and Sarwar Tushar also addressed the session, moderated by Saleh Uddin.
