Govt moves to amend Const; opposition wants reform

National Parliament building of Bangladesh. Wikipedia

Mostafa Kamal Majumder 

Parliament was in a marathon discussion on the motion of thanks on the President's inaugural speech on Wednesday to end the session in another day. The monotony was broken by occasional exchanges over the roles of the ruling party BNP and the main opposition Jamaat in the War of Liberation and the July uprising.

A sharp political division that has built up between the treasury and the opposition benches in the House sharpened on the day when Law Minister Asaduzzaman proposed the formation of a special committee on the amendment of the Constitution. The Minister said 12 members of the proposed committee including 7 from the BNP have been chosen and invited the opposition to name 5 members proportionate to its 26 percent share of seats in the House.

The Leader of the Opposition Dr. Shfiqur Rahman said they have to discuss the matter and needed time to give a response. He said they had differences of opinion, wanted reform but the government has come up with an option for amendment of the Constitution.

The huge lavirinth Parliament building looked as before with its inside walls a bit less shiny than before probably because of its age exactly 46 years when it first hosted the session of second Parliament in 1982 following completion this President Ayub's project at the initiative of President Zia, months following his death. Construction of the building had started in the late seventies of the last century.  

The chamber of Parliament looked almost as before probably for better maintenance and less frequency of use. The chamber is now fitted with timer and the mike goes off automatically. Closed circuit TV screens facing the treasury, opposition benches and the chair and another the the whole house have been set up. Galleries were more than 50 percent full in the morning and the afternoon, but the presence of visitors fell after the Magreb recess. 

The press galleries' attendance fluctuated as newsmen covering the proceedings shuttled between the Journalist lounge and the two Press Galleries on the chair's right and left. 

It was the Prime Minister's question hour in the morning and most queries that the PM answered related to environment and water resources.

The Prime Minister Tarique Rahman provided a detailed answer to a question on turning capital Dhaka clean and green. 

Replying to another question he said a timeline for the implementation of the Teesta Master Plan might be fixed if feasibility studies conclude and the project proves technically positive. 

The Deputy Speaker appeared to be liberal about time and extended it for every member who spoke on the thanks giving motion.

Those who spoke on the routine thanks giving motion included Law Minister, Asaduzzamam, Amanullah Aman, MP. ATM Azharul Islam, Rangpur 3 and Rafiqul Islam Khan of Jamaat, Ashrafuddin of BNP, Minister of State Ishraque Hossain, MP; Minister of State Farzana Sharmin, Natore 1; Minister for Health, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Minister for Cultural Affairs, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, cultural. Affairs Minister, Minister for Liberation War Affairs, Ahmed Azam Khan, Minister for Education, Ehsanul Huq Milon, Minister for Information, Zahiruddin Swapan, Minister for land, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Ministers Ariful Huq Chowdhury and Afroza Khanom among others.

The maiden session of the 13th Parliament is expected to end on Thursday 30 April 2026.