Staff Reporter :
Political parties in Bangladesh have reached a broad consensus to double the number of reserved seats for women in the Jatiya Sangsad from 50 to 100, and to amend Article 70 of the Constitution, according to senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday – held during a lunch break in the second phase of the National Consensus Commission’s dialogue – Salahuddin confirmed that all participating parties support the proposal to increase women’s representation in Parliament. “There is unanimous agreement to raise the number of women’s seats to 100,” he said. “Discussions are ongoing regarding the election mechanism for these seats.”
On the contentious issue of Article 70, Salahuddin stated that parties have agreed to introduce limited flexibility. “MPs will be allowed to vote against their party in all cases except votes of confidence and money bills,” he said.
Article 70 of the Constitution currently bars MPs from voting against their party, with any such action resulting in the loss of their parliamentary seat-a provision long criticised for restricting parliamentary independence.
Salahuddin noted that the BNP has submitted a formal written position paper as part of the dialogue. “Several parties have called for broader constitutional reforms,” he said. “Our proposed election manifesto includes a national security clause addressing wartime contingencies. Should we form the government, we are committed to pursuing these reforms.”
In another key development, parties have agreed to strengthen the role of the parliamentary opposition. According to Salahuddin, four influential standing committees – Public Accounts, Privileges, Estimates, and Public Undertakings – will be chaired by opposition MPs. He added that leadership of other committees dealing with public interest will be distributed proportionally, based on the opposition’s share of parliamentary seats.
Gazi Ataur Rahman, Senior Joint Secretary General of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, echoed Salahuddin’s statements. “There is consensus on amending Article 70 to grant MPs more freedom, barring votes of confidence and financial matters,” he said.
“Similarly, agreement has been reached on ensuring opposition control of four key parliamentary committees, with proportional representation in others.”
Currently, the 50 reserved women’s seats are filled through indirect elections. In April, the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission had recommended increasing the number to 300, with all seats to be filled via direct elections – a proposal that sparked further debate about gender representation in Parliament.
The dialogue process is ongoing, with further announcements expected as consensus-building continues among major political parties.
