Dhaka Bureau: BNP has proposed to form a national government with political parties to form a national consensus. Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, a member of the party’s National Standing Committee, announced the outline of the 27 at a press conference at a hotel in the capital on Monday (December 19).
The party said that the formation of a fair and impartial government will be established by the political parties to establish a ‘public welfare national consensus government’.
BNP said that this outline has been prepared in the light of BNP Vision-2030 announced by former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
27 outlines of BNP are-
1. A ‘Constitutional Reform Commission’ will be constituted to review all controversial and undemocratic constitutional amendments and changes and carry out constitutional reforms. In order to realize the rights of the people, the referendum system will be changed in the constitution.
2. An inclusive, non-discriminatory and harmonious ‘Rainbow Nation’ of all opinions and paths will be established against the politics of revenge and revenge. A ‘National Reconciliation Commission’ will be formed.
3. An ‘electoral non-partisan caretaker government’ system will be introduced to give permanent constitutional and institutional form to the transparent democratic process with a view to establishing democracy and suffrage in Bangladesh.
4. Executive powers of the President, Prime Minister and Cabinet will be balanced. The powers, responsibilities and duties of the executive department, legal department and judiciary will be harmonized with the aim of establishing the balance of state power (Checks and Balances).
5. President and Prime Minister cannot serve for more than 2 consecutive terms.
6. In addition to the existing parliamentary system, an ‘Upper House of the Legislature’ will be introduced in the Parliament comprising of academicians, professionals, political scientists, sociologists and people with administrative experience in the country with expert knowledge.
7. Amendments to Article 70 of the Constitution will be experimented with to ensure that members of Parliament have the freedom to express their views on matters other than confidence votes, money bills, constitutional amendment bills and all matters involving questions of national security.
8. The current ‘Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act-2022’ will be amended with the aim of forming an effective Election Commission consisting of independent, efficient, impartial, acceptable and determined persons based on the opinion of political parties and the opinion of eminent persons. Voting will be ensured through paper-ballot in all centers and not EVMs. RPO, Delimitation Order and Political Party Registration Act will be reformed. The use of party symbols in local government elections will be abolished.
9. All institutions will be restructured to restore transparency, accountability and credibility in all state, constitutional and statutory institutions beyond narrow political partisanship. These institutions will be appointed to constitutional and important positions subject to the vetting of the parliamentary committee through hearings.
10. Effective independence of judiciary will be ensured in the light of Bangladesh constitution and Masdar Hossain case verdict. A ‘Judicial Commission’ will be constituted to reform the present judicial system. The control, transfer, promotion, grant of leave and service discipline of the persons appointed in the judicial service and the judicial magistrates shall be administered by the Supreme Court. There will be a separate secretariat for the Judiciary under the control of the Supreme Court. The erstwhile system of ‘Supreme Judicial Council’ mentioned in the Constitution will be reintroduced on the question of impeachment of Supreme Court judges. For this, necessary amendments will be brought in the constitution. Judges will be appointed on strict criteria of knowledge, wisdom, ethics, judgment and reputation above party considerations. A ‘Judge Appointment Act’ containing specific qualifications and criteria will be framed as per 95(c) of the Constitution for appointment of Supreme Court Judges.
11. The administration will be restructured by constituting an ‘Administrative Reforms Commission’ consisting of qualified, experienced and wise persons to develop a patriotic service, public administration and police administration. Merit, integrity, creativity, competence, experience and training will be considered as the sole criteria of eligibility for appointment, transfer and promotion in civil and military administration.
12. A ‘Media Commission’ will be constituted for the overall reform of the media, comprising former judges of the Supreme Court, media-related professionals and learned, uniformed and acceptable media persons. Necessary initiatives will be taken to restore the environment of honest and independent journalism, for this the necessary amendments to the ICP Act-2006 and the Digital Security Act-2018 will be repealed. All torture and killing of journalists, including the sensational Sagar-Rooney murder, will be ensured.
13. There will be no compromise in cases of corruption. An investigation into organized money laundering and corruption over the past decade and a half will lead to the publication of a white paper and legal action against those identified in the white paper. Necessary administrative and legal measures will be taken to bring back money smuggled out of the country. ACC’s transparency and accountability will be ensured by reforming the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Anti-Corruption Act as well as systemic reforms. According to the constitution, ‘Ombudsman’ will be appointed.
14. Rule of law will be established at all levels. Restore human values and human dignity and end disappearances, murders, extrajudicial killings and inhumane physical and mental torture. Human rights will be implemented according to the Universal Human Rights Charter. Appointments will be made to the Human Rights Commission based on specific criteria. Those directly and indirectly involved in organized extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate killings in the name of crossfire, disappearances, murders, abductions, rapes, brutal physical torture and cruel and inhumane crimes will be ensured justice according to existing laws.
15. An ‘Economic Reforms Commission’ comprising expert economists and researchers, experienced bankers, corporate leaders, people with administrative experience will be constituted to ensure economic justice. The motto of the Liberation War is to eliminate the disparity between the rich and the poor through equitable distribution of the benefits of growth in terms of equality and social justice. The Constitutional Reforms Commission, Administrative Reforms Commission, Judicial Commission, Media Commission and Economic Reforms Commission will submit their respective reports within a specified period, so that the respective recommendations can be implemented quickly.
16. On the basis of the principle of ‘Religion belongs to everyone, the state belongs to everyone’, every religious person will enjoy the full right to practice his/her own religion. Full security of social, political, cultural, economic and religious rights, civil rights, life and property of all small and large ethnic groups in the hills and plains regardless of party affiliation and caste-religion-caste will be provided.
17. Price-index based fair wages will be ensured to the workers in the light of inflation. Child labor will be stopped. Special programs will be adopted and implemented for the elimination of disparities and balanced development of tea plantations, Bandhi, Charanchal, Haur-Baba and Mangapati and coastal areas.
18. All black laws including impunity laws in the power, energy and mineral sectors will be repealed and the rampant corruption going on in purchasing power from anti-public quick rental power plants will be stopped to stop the bleeding of the state economy. Appropriate measures will be taken to avoid import dependence on renewable and mixed energy-based power generation and discovery and extraction of neglected gas and mineral resources.
19. Bangladesh’s national interest will be given top priority in foreign relations. No terrorist activities will be tolerated and no terrorist activities will be sheltered within the territory of Bangladesh. Strict action will be taken against terrorism, militancy and extremism. The misuse of anti-terror laws to use terrorism as a political shield or tool, and to stop the ineffectiveness of terrorism’s anti-dissident forces and repression of political opposition, will enable the real terrorists to be identified and brought to justice.
20. To protect the sovereignty of the country, the defense forces will be well-organized, up-to-date and inspired by the mantra of supreme patriotism.
21. Greater decentralization of power will make local government institutions more independent, stronger and empowered. These institutions will be brought under accountability in such a way that they can play an effective role in providing various services and development activities including education, health. Independent local government will be ensured free from local administration and any other public representatives. Government administrators will not be appointed in local government institutions unless the post is vacant due to death or court orders. Elected representatives of local government shall not be suspended/dismissed/removed by executive order unless convicted in court.
22. A list of the martyrs of the liberation war will be prepared on the initiative of the state and they will be given due state status and recognition.
23. Modern and age-appropriate youth development policies will be formulated, incorporating the vision, thoughts and aspirations of the youth. Unemployment allowance will be paid to the educated unemployed for a period of one year or till employment, whichever is earlier. An increase in the age limit for entry into government service will be considered as per international norms.
24. Specific programs will be taken to ensure the empowerment of women. As a matter of principle, preference will be given to women in nominations to the National Assembly.
25. Demand based and knowledge based education will be given priority.
26. On the basis of the principle of ‘Health for All’, universal health care will be introduced on the model of the UK’s NHS.
27. Fair price of agricultural produce will be ensured. Later, other thematic reform proposals and development programs will be published in due course.
