Staff Reporter :Some eminent citizens of the country have laid emphasis on amending the constitution and reforming the constitutional institutions with a view to overcoming the current political impasse.Terming the overall situation in the contrary abnormal, they said that the killing of general people during political violence in the first three months of current year was ‘unprecedented’. In this backdrop, they also said, a constitutional amendment is needed for check and balance of state organs.The new civil society members made the proposals at a conference titled, “journey to total democracy: some proposals” — organized under a newly-formed banner “Concerned Civil Society [Udbhigno Nagarik Samaj] at Jatiya Press Club in the city on Sunday.Giving importance on long-standing and sustainable solution, convenor of the platform, Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said, “It needs to bring change in the constitution and constitutional institutions. If we want to establish permanent democracy, it will be needed to ensure full-fledged independence of Presidential post. “At the same time, the constitutional institutions, like National Parliament, Supreme Court, Election Commission, Informational Commission, and Human Rights Commission-must be independent and also accountable. Besides, check and balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister will have to be ensured. Here needs a constitutional amendment,” he explained his organisational proposals.The proposals placed by the civil society said, “Although there are several important issues before the nation, it needs to bring reformation to some essential constitutional institutions. Of them, full independence of President and system of electing President, check and balance between power and authority of President and Prime Minister, new thought over general elections, specific seats preserved for women lawmakers through direct election, de-centralisation of power to local government bodies and make referendum compulsory in all national and local important issues.”Huda, also a former Chief Election Commissioner, further said, “A political party wants to restore election-time caretaker government in the name of establishing democracy. But it never says whether the elected persons [those will be elected under caretaker government] will bring any change to the constitutional institutions.”Answering to a question of the newsmen, he said, “We are not involved with any political party. We also don’t desire to go to power. In 90s, three political alliances in a combined effort had changed the Presidential form into Parliamentary system through a massive movement. Hope, this time the political parties will also re-establish democracy through the same combine effort.” “There is no problem, if a ‘family dynasty’ can take the country to the advancement. But we don’t need such family for which the country cannot develop or make any progress.” Responding to a query, he further said political parties still did not respond to his proposal which was given on behalf of Nagorik Samaj for holding a dialogue to overcome political crisis.Huda said, “We will organise several talks engaging people from all classes and professions to garner support in favour of our proposals. Later, we will finalise a report and make it public. I hope, the political parties will pay attention to our appeal.”Huda did not announce the names of other office bearers and members of committee in the press conference. However, former adviser to the caretaker government Professor Zamilur Reza Chowdhury, M Hafiz Uddin Khan, Columnist Abul Maksud, Badiul Alam Mazumder of SUJAN, local government expert Professor Tofail Ahmed and economist Dr Ahsan Mansur, among others, were present on the occasion.
