With Bangladesh’s 13th Parliament resuming its second session this Sunday, an 11-party opposition alliance spearheaded by Jamaat-e-Islami is turning up the heat on the BNP government. In a bold move, they’ve called for urgent constitutional reform commission meetings to enforce the pivotal July National Charter, vowing to hit the streets if demands go unmet.
Saturday’s alliance gathering in Dhaka culminated in a press briefing where leader Hamidur Rahman Azad announced impending agitation plans from top coalition figures. He lambasted the government, stating the country holds it accountable for any delay in convening the commission as mandated by the Charter. Azad also challenged the legitimacy of the latest elections, claiming they robbed voters of genuine representation.
The Daily Star reports BNP’s nonchalant stance, viewing street protest threats as bluster since reforms aren’t immediate priorities. Party discussions reveal concerns over legal pitfalls in establishing the commission beyond parliamentary norms.
A BNP MP remarked that opposition allies lack solid constitutional arguments in their push. Leaders advocate parliamentary debates for reforms, ensuring elected representatives drive decisions. An anonymous standing committee member affirmed commitment to procedural integrity.
Post the February 12 polls, MPs were sworn in on February 17. Coalition legislators embraced reform commission roles in their oaths, unlike BNP members who rejected them citing no constitutional basis. This deepening divide raises fears of political gridlock ahead of parliamentary proceedings.