Reform Council’s fate in MPs’ hands Salahuddin

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday indicated that the question of forming a Constitutional Reform Council may be raised in Parliament.

When asked about the issue after a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, he told reporters that the matter had not been discussed at the meeting but could be brought up on the floor of the House.

“The discussion may take place in Parliament. It was not discussed here,” he said.

The minister explained that Saturday’s meeting marked the first sitting of the Business Advisory Committee.

Members discussed the duration of the first parliamentary session, the agenda for debates, proposed legislation and the allocation of time for discussion on the President’s address.

He said the House would adjourn on March 15 and remain prorogued from March 16 to March 28, before resuming on March 29. The current parliamentary session is expected to continue throughout April.

Referring to ordinances issued during the tenure of the interim government, the Home Minister said a special parliamentary committee had been formed last Thursday to review them.

He noted that the formation of such a committee is customary before the establishment of ministry-related standing committees.

According to him, the Law Minister will formally place the matter before Parliament.

The ordinances will then be referred to the special committee for scrutiny before reports are submitted to the House.

Law Minister Asaduzzaman said the issue would be discussed in Parliament. “We will present our position there.

Parliament is the central forum for such discussions,” he said when asked about the political debate surrounding the proposed Constitutional Reform Council.

Meanwhile, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said the opposition would outline its stance during the debate on the President’s address.

“We will explain why we walked out and why we felt it was inappropriate for the President to deliver that speech.

We will present our position but will not move a vote of thanks to the President,” he said.

On constitutional reform, he added that the opposition leader would raise the issue of forming a Constitutional Reform Council in Parliament at an appropriate time.

He also said that, following the referendum verdict supporting constitutional reform, there had been an expectation that a separate constitutional reform session might be held alongside the parliamentary session.

“The government had earlier indicated that the matter would be discussed in Parliament.

We want to hear the government’s position there and will decide our next steps accordingly,” he said.

He added that the opposition would prefer to see the current Parliament transformed into a Constitutional Reform Council at the earliest opportunity.