Staff Reporter :
National Citizens’ Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has stated that fundamental reforms to the constitution can only be achieved through the election of a constituent assembly.
“If we truly want fundamental reforms, we must hold elections for a constituent assembly,” he said on Sunday while speaking at a discussion held at the International Institute of Mother Language in the capital.
The event was organised to discuss seven proposals by the Citizen’s Coalition for Constitutional Reform, aimed at restructuring the state’s democratic framework.
Nahid Islam stressed that democratic processes cannot function effectively without a national consensus on core issues such as the balance of power and decentralization. “Unless there is agreement on these fundamental matters, democracy cannot move forward simply by agreeing on peripheral issues,” he said.
He also criticised the manner in which the constitution has been amended over the years, saying, “The constitution has been altered based on the whims of individuals. Even after significant political uprisings, it is unfortunate that we have failed to reach a consensus on essential constitutional reforms.”
Reflecting on the country’s political history, he said, “After 1975, we had an opportunity to start fresh by replacing the 1972 constitution, but that opportunity was lost. Without drafting a new constitution, we cannot truly claim to have built a new Bangladesh.”
Calling for broader changes, the NCP leader said that dismantling authoritarian structures requires not just constitutional reform, but also sweeping changes in the country’s economic, political, and cultural systems. “The fundamental principles of the constitution must be detached from partisan ideologies,” he added.
He also noted that the discourse on reforms should not be linked directly to elections. “The NCP supports the statement of the chief adviser in this regard. However, before any election takes place, the trial of the Awami League and the implementation of fundamental reforms must be ensured,” he said.
