Editors of national dailies, but for one or two, on Wednesday called for involving the opposition to amend the Constitution of the Republic through consensus to avoid controversies in the future.
Invited to a consultation meet, they told parliamentary special committee on Constitution amendment that consensus was necessary to avoid unnecessary controversy on the national issue.
The editors suggested for amending Article 70 to allow the lawmakers to express their views in parliament freely, even if goes against the party line, without the fear of losing membership of parliament.
Safeguarding the citizens' fundamental rights and increasing the number of parliamentary constituencies also came up for discussion, meeting sources said.
Responding to the editors suggestion for involving the opposition with the amendment process, the committee chairperson Syeda Ssajeda Chowdhury said, 'We have invited them but they did not turn up. You can also play a role to bring them to the dialogue. We will welcome the move.'
The editor of Bangla daily Samakal Golam Sarwar told reporters after the meeting, 'I suggested for ensuring the involvement of the main opposition party with the process of constitution amendment process. Otherwise, the people would consider it as a unilateral affair.'
He said that he also suggested for bringing the amendment to the Constitution through consensus between the ruling party and the opposition parties on the question of selecting the head of the election time caretaker government other than a retired chief justice to keep the judiciary beyond controversy.
The News Today editor, Reazuddin Ahmed said that the government should do everything to involve the opposition with the process of amendment to the Constitution.
He said the opposition should come to the committee to make their contribution in the amendment process.
Reazuddin told New Age, 'It would not be possible to fully restore the Constitution as it was on adoption in 1972, as the prime minister had said.
That's why, he said, he suggested for appointing a constitution commission to recommend the amendment to the Constitution of the Republic after examining every aspect and perspective involved.
The Kaler Kantha editor, Abed Khan said that involvement of the opposition was essential for amending the Constitution.
He said he suggested that the committee should take the initiative to involve the opposition with the amendment process.
He said that he suggested for incorporating a provision to make 'illegal take over of state power as an act of treason.'
He also suggested for incorporating a provision for trying and punishing the person illegally taking over state power under sedition charge.
He suggested for limiting the tenure of the election time caretaker government to a maximum of 90 days.
The Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman said that he told the JS panel that questions would crop up regarding the amendment, if the opposition was not involved with the process.
He also told the committee that the Constitution should be amended unanimously.
The daily Sun editor, Syed Anwar Husain said that there should be unanimity between the ruling and the opposition parties on the question of the Constitution amendment.
He said he also suggested for finding out an alternative to the election time caretaker government.
He suggested that strengthening the election commission could be an alternative to the undemocratic system of election time caretaker government.
Syed Anwar said that the caretaker system was introduced under special circumstances to save democracy.
He also suggested for change the name of the republic from People's Republic of Bangladesh to Republic of Bangladesh.
The Daily Star editor, Mahfuz Anam suggested for keeping retired chief justices away from caretaker administrations.
He also suggested for increase the number of parliamentary constituencies to 600, and 300 for women.
He called for strengthening parliamentary standing committees.
The Manabjamin editor, Motiur Rahman Chowdhury suggested that the government should continue, till the last, with its initiative to involve the opposition with process of amending the Constitution as it was very important to involve it with the process.
He said that he also suggested for the incorporation of a provision in the Constitution stipulating punishment for illegal take over of state power.
The Janakantha editor, Mohammad Atiqullah Khan Masud suggested for doing away with the election time system of caretaker government and for strengthening the election commission instead for holding free, fair and credible elections.
He told New Age after the meeting that he also suggested for the incorporation of a provision in the Constitution to punish autocrat rulers for illegal takeover of state power.
The Inqilab editor, AMM Bahauddin suggested for retaining in the Constitution, Islam as state religion and Bismillah-ar-Rahman-Rahim in its Preamable.
The Amar Desh editor, Mahmudur Rahman suggested for electing a constituent assembly for amending the Constitution.
He said that the amendment could be brought only by a constituent assembly.
He told reporters after the meeting that he suggested for ensuring participation of the opposition with the Constitution amendment process.
He suggested that bringing the amendment could be delayed, if necessary, to ensure the involvement of the opposition.
The New Age editor, Nurul Kabir suggested for making the citizens' right to food, clothing, shelter, education and health services as their fundamental rights with a legal provision to ensure the rights.
He suggested for dropping Article 70 that debars lawmakers from voting against the party line.
He also suggested to the committee to repeal the stipulation in the constitution that allows suspension of the citizens' fundamental rights during emergency rule.
He said that there could be state religion.
Kabir suggested for immediate separation of the legislature and the executive. He said this could be done by making it necessary to elect two persons as the prime minister and the leader of the house.
He also said that bringing any fundamental change to the Constitution required the people's endorsement through referendum.
The prime minister on July 21, 2010 constituted a 15-member special parliamentary committee, headed by the deputy leader of the house, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, to recommend proposals to amend the Constitution following a High Court verdict that declared illegal its Fifth Amendment.
After the second and final review by the committee, a bill for amending the Constitution is expected to be placed in parliament towards the close of May.
Source: New Age
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