What is the second republic? What do students and other political parties want?

The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by students who led the mass uprising in July-August last year, has pledged to establish a second republic in its manifesto.

At the party's official launch on 28 February, its leaders called for a constituent assembly election to draft a new constitution, which would form the foundation of the second republic.

Earlier, on 22 October last year, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizen Committee raised this demand from the Central Shaheed Minar. However, the discussion was halted as some other political parties in the country, including the BNP, did not agree to it.

So, what exactly is the second republic?

Experts say the term second republic refers to a proposed new political and constitutional system, typically following the collapse or failure of the first republic. It represents a vision for a reformed political system that aims to address perceived flaws or failures in the current state structure.

"After the Liberation War, we established a republic, but since it has proven ineffective and failed to meet the aspirations of the people, a mass uprising occurred. As a result, Bangladesh stands at a critical juncture of change," Dilara Chowdhury, former professor of the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University, told TBS.

"To achieve this, the national constitution must be abrogated, and a new political arrangement must be formed. This will be the second republic," she added.

She further stated, "If the first republic had functioned properly, the relevance of this demand would not exist today. I believe the second republic is necessary because the conflict between the new and the old is eternal. This is what Karl Marx has taught us."

Giving the example of Nepal, Professor Dilara Chowdhury said, "There, it was done [declaration of second republic] based on the consensus of six political parties."

"Additionally, in various European countries, the declaration of second and third republics has been made at different times to fulfil the aspirations of the people. Even in France, the constitution and governance are currently operating under the fifth republic system," she said.

However, author, political historian and analyst Mohiuddin Ahmad thinks the demand for a second republic has not been clearly articulated by the students.

"In 1971, a republic was declared, and at that time, there was no alternative. That declaration forms the foundation of the current state of Bangladesh. Moreover, the 1972 constitution has not been abrogated yet."

He added that the crisis could be addressed by amending the constitution or introducing changes to its principles.

"The legitimacy of all subsequent state decisions, starting from 5 August, must be granted by the government elected thereafter. This is what Ziaur Rahman and Hussain Muhammad Ershad did. Therefore, declaring a second republic is not the main issue," he told TBS.

Mohiuddin Ahmad further stated that over the past six months, the students have failed to provide any detailed information regarding the second republic, and other political parties have not reached a consensus on the matter.

"They will not be able to reach an agreement on anything, even before the Day of Judgment. So, it is difficult to predict the future of the second republic," he said.

However, Professor Dilara Chowdhury, disagreeing with Mohiuddin Ahmad, stated that theoretically, a second republic in Bangladesh is possible. "To do so, the constitution must be abolished, and a revolutionary government must be formed to make the proclamation. For this, a consensus among political parties is necessary. Amending the constitution would not suffice."

"Many people want to cling to the 1972 constitution, even though it was undemocratic and acted as a catalyst for the creation of fascism," she added.

What is the proposal from the students?

Earlier, in November, the students proposed the formation of an all-party council to draft the outline for the second republic, although other political parties showed no interest in this matter.

At a press conference on 29 October, in response to a question from TBS, Arif Sohel, one of the student leaders, explained that just as the declaration of independence was retrospective – it was made on 10 April 1971 but remained valid from 25 March 1971 – the proclamation for the second republic will start from 5 August.

"In other words, the decisions we made after 5 August will fall under the scope of this proclamation, and there will be no further complications," he said.

He further said, "It is not true that everything would be nullified upon the proclamation."

In response to the question of who will announce the outline, Arif Sohel said, "The outline must be prepared through consultation with all groups. Only then will it truly reflect the aspirations of the uprising."

"For this reason, we have proposed forming an all-party council with all political parties. Through discussions with the council, an interim government will carry out its work."

"Additionally, the all-party council will prepare the outline for the second republic. Political decisions will be based on the national unity of the political parties," he said.

Political parties with dissenting views

In October-November last year, student representatives held discussions with 30 political parties in the country regarding the formation of the second republic. However, 26 parties, including the BNP, opposed the proposal. On the other hand, four parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, expressed their principled support for the students' demands.

On 8 October, during a discussion at the Reporters' Unity about the second republic, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, said, "We believe the interim government has no alternative political agenda. Therefore, we urge that it focus on the elections. Sudden reforms or decisions made in haste and based on emotions will not sustain the state. The country will fall into a deep crisis."

Razekuzzaman Ratan, assistant general secretary of the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), said, "We must embrace the aspirations of the mass uprising while also adopting methods that work towards the advancement of democracy, ensuring that fascism does not take root. Therefore, we do not wish to take any steps that could potentially open the door to new conspiracies."

He further said, "A common consensus should be shaped through discussions with all political parties, creating a roadmap for transitioning from fascism to democracy."

On the other hand, in response to the five demands of the students, including the removal of the president and the formation of the second republic, Mia Golam Parwar, secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami, said, "We have clearly said that the crisis in the state is being maintained under the guise of the constitution. The constitution should not be used as an excuse, as the mass uprising did not occur within its framework, and neither did the advisory council."

In response to the question of why political parties are not supporting the students' demands, Professor Dilara Chowdhury said, "They essentially want to hold elections soon and return to the old system. If that happens, the significance of the 24th uprising will not remain politically relevant."