BNP serious about reforms, that's why holding dialogues: Salahuddin on Consensus Commission meeting

BNP is serious about reforms, that is why they are engaging in dialogue to build consensus, said BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed during a brief break in the ongoing meeting between BNP and the Consensus Commission.

"We are holding a detailed, point-by-point dialogue," Salahuddin said. "The conversation began with constitutional reforms, and will later cover topics such as the judiciary and the electoral system. Even if today's discussion isn't concluded, we will continue again in the future," said Salahuddin Ahmed.

"We've submitted detailed reports on the judiciary, administration, and electoral system. In-depth discussions are underway based on these documents. We've started with constitutional reform, then will move to the judiciary and later the electoral system," said Salahuddin Ahmed

However, he expressed concerns over the documents provided by the commission. "There is a disconnect between our in-depth discussions and the 'yes' and 'no' spreadsheets they sent us. These spreadsheets have, in fact, misled us," he added.

He said, "The constitutional reform proposal includes 131 recommendations, but we found only 70 in the spreadsheet shared earlier. We're going point by point in our discussions, from the preamble of the constitution to the fundamental principles of the state and citizens' rights."

On the matter of consensus, Salahuddin noted that around 25 proposals have seen full or partial agreement so far. "However, we couldn't agree on the majority of items presented in the spreadsheet. Some proposals were misleading and failed to reflect our full set of 131 points," he said.

Addressing judicial reforms, he expressed dissatisfaction with the limited scope of responses permitted. "We were somewhat misled. While there were over 150 points to be discussed, we provided detailed feedback on 89 of them. In cases where simple 'yes' or 'no' answers were requested, we found major discrepancies. For example, Article 95 talks about judicial appointments. Proposals to issue ordinances without constitutional amendments are problematic."

He pointed out that even though some laws mention forming a judicial council, BNP insists that judicial independence must be achieved constitutionally, not through executive orders. "Any ordinance or reform must be enshrined in the constitution. Otherwise, it will remain unconstitutional, as the judiciary has not been given such powers under the current framework," Salahuddin added.

He concluded by stating, "Judicial reforms must follow proper procedures, and we believe now is not the time for harsh statements about the judiciary. Everything should be done by the book and with national interest in mind."

The meeting between the BNP delegation and the Consensus Commission is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said, BNP told the Consensus Commission that the party is not against reforms but wants to utilise the opportunity that has been created for reforms.

"We have another opportunity before us, and we want to seize it. We are cooperating with this commission and this government with that expectation (in mind)," he said.

The Consensus Commission is holding a series of talks with political parties to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

A BNP delegation participated in the session that began at 10:35am today (17 April) at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.