Dialogue may resolve differences between govt, opposition on constitutional amendment: Chief whip

The government and the opposition will jointly bring a proposal on amending the Constitution, Chief Whip Nurul Islam said today (15 April), expressing optimism that existing differences will be resolved through dialogue.

"Although there are some differences of opinion between us and the opposition on the issue of constitutional amendment, we will reach a consensus and place a joint proposal," he told reporters during a parliamentary session break.

He said the main goal is to strengthen democracy, uphold independence and sovereignty, and advance the country's constructive development.

"We want to be enriched through discussion and criticism in Parliament and it is only a matter of time before we reach a consensus from a place of patriotism," he added.

The chief whip also urged the media to highlight positive developments alongside negative reporting.

Referring to recent coverage on the shutdown of Eastern Refinery PLC Ltd, the country's only state-owned oil refinery in Chattogram, he said related developments such as two vessels carrying around 200,000 tonnes of oil anchoring at the port also deserved attention.

He said the prime minister has been working for the overall welfare of the country, focusing on building a humane state, consolidating democracy, and safeguarding independence and sovereignty.

On employment and human resource development, Nurul Islam stressed the importance of language skills to enhance overseas job opportunities.

He mentioned the need for learning Arabic for the Middle East, Mandarin for China, Italian for Italy, Korean for South Korea, and Japanese for Japan.

He, however, emphasised English as a crucial second language given its global relevance.