Consensus panel’s proposals may empower unelected individuals: BNP

BNP has raised concerns over certain aspects of the recommendations submitted by the National Consensus Commission, warning that the proposals could hand unelected individuals undue power over state affairs, reports bdnews24.com.

The party will present its position when submitting its feedback to the commission on Monday.

At a press conference at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan on Saturday morning, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir outlined the party's views on the recommendations.

He said, "The state of the National Consensus Commission's spreadsheet, along with different statements from commission members and specific political parties, raises questions about whether these recommendations are part of a pre-planned initiative, making it difficult to determine if they truly serve the interests of democracy."

"Upon reviewing the recommendations, it appears that there is an unjustified effort to appoint unelected individuals to state positions, which is undesirable.

"The democratic character of the state and the people's ownership are reflected through an elected parliament and representatives," he said.

"However, an analysis of the constitutional and electoral reform proposals suggests an inclination to marginalise politicians and create opportunities for unelected individuals to govern the country," he added.

'WE ARE FULLY COOPERATING'

Mirza Fakhrul emphasised the party's "full cooperation" in the feedback process, saying: "We are responding to each spreadsheet entry. Where a 'yes' is required, we are marking it accordingly. Where separate statements are needed, we are providing those. We are fully cooperating."

When asked which aspects of the recommendations BNP is questioning and which political parties' statements seem aligned with them, he said: "As journalists, you can already see many aspects of this. Many of the proposals in the commission's documents have already appeared in the media, and you will notice that they closely resemble the proposals made by certain political parties and individuals."

"I don't want to be specific at this moment. Our delegation will go tomorrow, and after their discussions, they will brief you on this matter," he said.

Mirza Fakhrul added, "Constitutional amendments and reforms should consider the democratic heritage, traditions, and religious sentiments of the people."

"Upholding the 'anti-fascist' national unity, establishing an egalitarian state and society in line with the aspirations of those who sacrificed their lives in the July Uprising and 16 years of 'anti-fascist' democratic movements, remains the highest priority of the present time.

"Our reform efforts will be guided by the goal of forming a strong democratic political government based on broad national consensus," he said.

'NCC PROPOSALS AIM TO EMPOWER UNELECTED OFFICIALS'

Mirza Fakhrul criticised the recommendation to establish new commissions, including a National Constitutional Council (NCC), saying: "The descriptions of these commissions' jurisdictions and functions indicate a clear intention to undermine and weaken the executive and legislative branches."

"This would ultimately result in a weak and ineffective government," he said.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed added, "The proposed commissions, particularly the NCC, would be structured in a way that unelected individuals would be empowered to run these institutions. The recommendations advocate for granting them constitutional authority."

"If these proposals are implemented, elected representatives will lose significance, and almost all key state functions will be managed by unelected individuals."

'CONCERNS OVER NCC'S SPREADSHEET'

Mirza Fakhrul pointed out concerns regarding the commission's spreadsheet, saying: "The options provided for marking preferences indicate that instead of proposing recommendations directly, leading questions have been framed to elicit 'yes' or 'no' responses. For example, rather than presenting a direct proposal, the spreadsheet asks, 'do you support implementation through a constitutional assembly? Answer yes or no'."

"The decision on whether to support a constitutional assembly should come first. Similarly, questions like 'do you want implementation through referendum, constitutional assembly, or elected parliament?' are being framed for a yes-or-no answer."

He continued: "Although significant topics such as amendments to the Constitution's preamble are included in the recommendations, they are missing from the spreadsheet.

"While the main report contains around 123 recommendations, the spreadsheet mentions only 70. Similarly, the electoral reform commission's main report has about 150 recommendations, but the spreadsheet lists only 27, most of which relate to constitutional reforms."

"We believe that attaching our detailed opinion to the main recommendations will help avoid confusion," said Fakhrul.

'A CHARTER OF REFORM IS POSSIBLE'

Mirza Fakhrul said, "The purpose of reforms is to improve people's livelihoods, ensure public safety and accountability, and uphold the rule of law. Most importantly, they must safeguard the country's independence and sovereignty."

"There is no need for unnecessary debates on whether reform should precede elections or vice versa.

"Since reform is an ongoing process, both reform and election procedures can progress simultaneously," he said.

"A 'Charter of Reform' can be formulated based on political consensus, which an elected government can implement later," he added.

'GOVERNMENT MUST HOLD ELECTIONS WITHOUT DELAY'

The BNP secretary general urged the interim government to prioritise holding elections, saying: "At this stage, the primary responsibility of the interim government should be to facilitate a free, fair, and credible national election as soon as possible, following necessary reforms based on consensus, and then hand over power to the elected government."

"The elected government will carry out the desired reforms because only a government accountable to the people and committed to justice and good governance can undertake meaningful reforms."

'CONCERNS OVER ADVISORS' POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT'

Mirza Fakhrul alleged that certain interim government advisors are involved in political activities while in office, raising concerns about their neutrality.

"The involvement of some advisors in the formation of political parties, directly or indirectly, has created public doubts. Signs of administrative machinery being used for this process are becoming increasingly evident, which is not healthy for democracy," he said.