United News of Bangladesh

BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said limiting the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years will help curb autocracy and fascism, expressing the hope that the ongoing talks will lead to a national consensus on reforms. “Many of you have talked a lot about reforms here. But no one has expressed disappointment because we are all optimistic,” he told a discussion. The BNP leader said the National Consensus Commission is taking too much time for discussions on the reform proposals. “But I believe we will be able to reach a consensus at one point.” He said the nation has already seen what considerations the BNP has taken in the national interest to come to a consensus. “We have said that no person can sit as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for more than 10 years. Through this, the emergence of dictatorship and fascism has been stopped.” He went on to say, “Isn't it a great achievement of ours that we limited the term of the Prime Minister to 10 years?” Nagorik Oikya arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking its 13th founding anniversary. Salahuddin, a BNP Standing Committee member, said all the constitutional and democratic institutions of the state must be built on a strong foundation as a safeguard for democracy. He said there is no alternative to establishing an independent Election Commission in the country to prevent the rise of dictatorship. “If a truly independent Election Commission can conduct elections under a caretaker government system, then the rise of dictatorship can be stopped in this country. A strong democratic structure cannot be built by weakening the executive branch alone,” the BNP leader said. He said freedom of the press is also necessary for safeguarding and consolidating democracy. “A country where press freedom is 100% is a country where democracy is 100%… We all, from the political parties and the government, will cooperate to ensure press freedom.” The BNP leader said all organs of the state should be allowed to operate independently within their legal and constitutional jurisdiction, instead of limiting the authority of any one. “There should be harmonious cooperation among all the organs of the state.” “The executive branch must be allowed to perform its duties, the judiciary must be allowed to carry out its responsibilities, and the legislature must do its job of making laws. This is where a complete balance of power lies,” he said. If this is ensured, Salahuddin said, no organ will be able then to exert control over another or interfere in its functions. “Each will act as a balancing force, serving as a safeguard for the others." He also emphasised the need for ensuring full independence of the judiciary. “If we can guarantee judicial independence constitutionally, it will act as a safeguard for democracy. Secondly, freedom of the media must be ensured. And third, a caretaker government system must be established during the election period." The BNP leader said the caretaker government system to oversee the national election has already been reinstated as all parties have reached a consensus on it. He said they have brought reforms to Article 70 based on consensus among the political parties. “Now we have made another proposal that in the presidential election, MPs from both sides will vote freely through a secret ballot. That will be another milestone, another revolution.” Salahuddin said if the executive branch is restricted in every area legally and constitutionally, it would become weak, making it difficult to run the state and the government. He suggested that if each branch — the executive, the judiciary and the legislature — worked within its own boundaries, then true reform of the state would be possible. The BNP leader also said they want kind of reform which would not diminish the powers of any branch of the state. He said they also want reforms that would help build a strong democratic state structure. “We want reforms through which the state structure will be reformed, the constitution will undergo democratic changes, and as a result, the nation will be able to achieve economic emancipation.” Salahuddin said they are observing a growing tendency to control the executive branch as much as possible through the efforts of the National Consensus Commission. “But we cannot weaken or abolish the executive branch just because one individual once became a dictator. Similarly, dictatorship once emerged in a parliamentary system, but that does not mean we can weaken or abolish the legislature.” He said it is necessary to ensure checks and balances, harmonious cooperation, and a constructive relationship between state organs, while building safeguards for democracy by strengthening all institutions accordingly.