Five Names Sought from Opposition for Constitutional Amendment Committee

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman on Wednesday (April 29) called upon the opposition bench to provide five names to complete the formation of a 17-member parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment. Addressing the House, the Minister noted that the government has already finalized 12 names for the proposed body and is awaiting opposition participation to move forward.

The proposed committee, to be formed under Rule 266 of the Rules of Procedure, aims to spearhead constitutional reforms in alignment with the "July Charter." Among the 12 members already selected, the Law Minister confirmed that seven MPs are from the BNP, while the remaining five include representatives from Ganaodhikar Parishad, Ganasomhati Andolan, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, and independent lawmakers.

Minister Asaduzzaman explained that since the opposition holds approximately 26 percent representation in the current Parliament, the government has allocated five seats on the committee to them to ensure proportional representation. He urged the opposition to submit their nominations quickly so that the formal proposal for the committee could be placed before the House as early as tomorrow.

In response, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman expressed reservations, citing a conceptual difference between "reform" and "amendment." He noted that while the opposition had demanded fundamental reform, the government’s proposal focuses on amendment. Rahman stated that the opposition maintains its original stance but would convey a final decision regarding the committee after further internal discussions.

Following the Opposition Leader’s remarks, the Law Minister indicated the government’s willingness to be flexible. He stated that there is no issue with waiting for the opposition’s consensus to ensure a unified path toward constitutional changes in light of the July Charter, even if it means delaying the process until the next parliamentary session.