July Charter proposes giving president authority over key appointments
While 31 political parties and alliances have expressed their general agreement with the proposal, several parties—including the BNP—raised objections to giving certain appointment powers solely to the president.
The National Consensus Commission yesterday (16 August) released the draft of the July Charter to the media, proposing an increase in presidential powers in order to balance authority between the president and the prime minister.
The draft suggests amending Article 48(3) of the Constitution to allow the president to appoint individuals to several constitutional and significant positions without requiring advice from others.
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Under the proposal, the president would have the authority to directly appoint the governor of Bangladesh Bank, chairman and members of the National Human Rights Commission, Information Commission, Bangladesh Press Council, Law Commission and Energy Regulatory Commission.
While 31 political parties and alliances have expressed their general agreement with the proposal, several parties—including the BNP—raised objections to giving certain appointment powers solely to the president.
According to the consensus commission, BNP, NDM, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Bangladesh Labour Party, the 12-party alliance, and the LDP submitted a "note of dissent" regarding presidential authority over the appointments of the Bangladesh Bank governor and the chairman and members of the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Constitutions 48 (3) states, "In the exercise of all his functions, save only that of appointing the Prime Minister pursuant to clause (3) of article 56 and the Chief Justice pursuant to clause (1) of article 95, the President shall act in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister; Provided that the question whether any, and if so what, advice has been tendered by the Prime Minister to the President shall not be enquired into in any court."
