[🇧🇩] Consensus Commission.

[Saif]

Emergency powers to be tied to cabinet approval: Ali Riaz

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz on Sunday said a consensus has been reached on a proposal to include specific provisions in the existing Article 141(a) of the Constitution regarding the declaration of a state of emergency. He revealed this while briefing the media...

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Emergency powers to be tied to cabinet approval: Ali Riaz

BSS Dhaka
Published: 13 Jul 2025, 22: 10

National Consensus Commission vice-chairman professor Ali Riaz speaks at the Foreign Service Academy, Dhaka on 13 July 2025 Dipu Malakar

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz on Sunday said a consensus has been reached on a proposal to include specific provisions in the existing Article 141(a) of the Constitution regarding the declaration of a state of emergency.

He revealed this while briefing the media after today’s discussion with the political parties, as it continued for 12th days in the second round of talks at the Doel Hall of Foreign Service Academy.

Ali Riaz said that the proposed changes include replacing the term “internal disturbance” in Article 141(a) with the phrases “threats to national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, pandemics, or natural disasters.”

Instead of requiring the countersignature of the Prime Minister, he said, the declaration of a state of emergency must receive approval from the Cabinet.

He further said that the leader of the opposition, or in their absence, the deputy leader of the opposition, must be included in the Cabinet meeting concerning the declaration of a state of emergency.

Moreover, during a state of emergency, subject to the provisions of Article 47A, no citizen’s right to life and the fundamental rights mentioned in Article 35 of the existing Constitution regarding trial and punishment may be curtailed.

In the discussion held on 7 July, all political parties and alliances agreed on amending Article 141(a) of the Constitution and ensuring that the declaration of a state of emergency is not misused as a political tool.

Commission members Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Iftekharuzzaman, Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain, and Md. Ayub Miah, and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider were present.

Ali Riaz also revealed that the political parties and alliances reached a consensus on a proposal to clearly specify certain provisions in Article 95 of the Constitution regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice.

In this case, it has to be added that the President shall appoint the most senior judge of the Appellate Division as the Chief Justice.

However, if any political party or alliance explicitly mentions in their election manifesto and receives the people’s mandate, then a provision may be added allowing the President to appoint either of the two most senior judges of the Appellate Division as Chief Justice, he added.

Ali Riaz said that provided that if any judge is undergoing an investigation under Article 96 of the Constitution due to allegations of misconduct or incapacity, he/she shall not be eligible for appointment as Chief Justice.

Representatives from 30 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gonosanghati Andolon, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Biplobi Workers Party, and the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party took part in the discussion.​

 

[Saif]

Consensus yet to be reached on upper house formation: Prof Ali Riaz

Though a bicameral parliament is crucial to represent the diversity of society, political parties are yet to reach consensus on how the upper house should be formed, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz has said. The commission, however, made two proposals in this

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Consensus yet to be reached on upper house formation: Prof Ali Riaz

FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
Jul 14, 2025 20:13
Updated :
Jul 14, 2025 20:21

Though a bicameral parliament is crucial to represent the diversity of society, political parties are yet to reach consensus on how the upper house should be formed, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz has said.

The commission, however, made two proposals in this regard, and some proposals have also been made in discussions with political parties. These proposals need further discussion, he stated.

Prof Ali Riaz made these remarks on Monday while briefing journalists after the 13th day of the second phase of the discussions between the political parties and the commission at the Foreign Service Academy in the city.

However, everyone agreed on permanently allocating 100 seats for women in the Parliament, he said, adding that in this case, too, there is still a methodological question.

"As a result, we have not yet reached a consensus on determining this method."

Prof Ali Riaz also said that apart from this proposal, some other proposals have come up for discussion. Therefore, the commission has decided to continue the discussion to reconsider the issue.

Representatives of 30 political parties, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), participated in today's discussion with the National Consensus Commission.

Salahuddin Ahmed, who led the BNP delegation at the commission meeting, told reporters that some reform proposals forwarded by the reform commissions, including the constitution reform commission, are almost impossible to implement.

However, they scrapped some of them amid disagreements among political parties, he added.

Political parties were yet to confirm 33 per cent representation of women, mainly due to the reality in the society. He hoped it would gradually increase or exceed, but it could not be possible overnight.

"After further discussion, if any acceptable proposal comes, then we will discuss it in the party’s standing committee", he said.​

 

[Saif]

Parties divided over method to form upper house in parliament, says Ali Riaz

The National Consensus Commission will decide on the formation process of a proposed upper house in Bangladesh’s parliament after political parties failed to reach an agreement despite broad support for a bicameral system. On Tuesday, the commission's vice-chairman, Ali Riaz, said a final de

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Parties divided over method to form upper house in parliament, says Ali Riaz

Published :
Jul 15, 2025 22:36
Updated :
Jul 15, 2025 22:36

The National Consensus Commission will decide on the formation process of a proposed upper house in Bangladesh’s parliament after political parties failed to reach an agreement despite broad support for a bicameral system.

On Tuesday, the commission's vice-chairman, Ali Riaz, said a final decision would be announced on Sunday following conflicting proposals from major parties on how the second chamber should be structured, bdnews24.com reports.

After a day of consultations at the Foreign Service Academy, Riaz said: “There has been significant progress on the idea of a bicameral parliament and constitutional amendments.

“But due to differences among the parties, the commission will now have to decide on the structure of the upper house.”

According to Riaz, most major parties back a bicameral system in principle, but are split on how the second chamber should be constituted.

“Some propose forming it based on vote share, while others suggest it follow the proportion of seats in the lower house,” he said.

The day’s talks included meetings with both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, who later clarified their positions.

BNP’s Salahuddin Ahmed said his party favoured forming the upper house in proportion to seats in the lower house. In contrast, Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Abdullah Mohammad Taher argued for a vote-share-based proportional model.

Riaz acknowledged these competing views, saying the commission would continue informal communication with the parties and hold internal discussions before finalising the structure.

He also noted that constitutional amendments had been widely debated.

“If the bicameral model is not adopted, or until it is in place, changes to the constitution will require support from two-thirds of parliamentary seats,” he said.

On specific clauses like the preamble, Articles 8, 48, 56, 142, and the caretaker government provisions (Articles 58A, 58B, and 58C), Riaz said a public referendum would be mandatory for any amendment.

He added that there is no disagreement among parties about reinstating the caretaker government system, and the commission expects to reach a resolution next week on how its chief will be appointed.

He also stressed the need to ensure constitutional and institutional recognition of women's role in politics, citing their active participation in last year’s mass movement.​

 

[Saif]

Three-fourths for PM not to stay party chief

The upcoming national charter would state that three-fourths of the political parties agreed that an individual serving as the prime minister should not simultaneously hold the position of party chief, with a note of dissent from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its like-minded allies...

www.newagebd.net

CONSENSUS TALKS
Three-fourths for PM not to stay party chief
BNP, allies voice dissent
Staff Correspondent 23 July, 2025, 00:15

The upcoming national charter would state that three-fourths of the political parties agreed that an individual serving as the prime minister should not simultaneously hold the position of party chief, with a note of dissent from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its like-minded allies.

The decision came during the 17th session of the National Consensus Commission’s second-round dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The session, also covering the discussions over the selection process of the top officials of a caretaker government and five key constitutional and statutory bodies, was adjourned without a consensus.

The NCC adopted a condolence motion over Monday’s tragic jet crash at Milestone School and College at Uttara in Dhaka.

At the post-session press briefing, NCC vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz said that three-fourths of the 30 parties opposed the prime minister’s dual role, including as a party chief.

‘Some parties have expressed dissent on this issue. Their notes of dissent will be recorded in the national charter,’ he said.

Beside the BNP, the Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh Labour Party, National Democratic Movement, 12-Party Alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jote and Amjanatar Dal saw no problem with the same individual holding the positions of party chief and prime minister.

Earlier in the session, the NCC presented its revised proposal on the process of constituting a caretaker government and its composition.

According to the proposal, a five-member selection committee, including the prime minister, the opposition leader, the speaker, the deputy speaker, and one representative from the third-largest party in parliament, would select the future caretaker government’s chief adviser 15 days before the dissolution of parliament.

Thirty days prior to that, the speaker-led committee would invite nominations from parliamentary parties, other Election Commission-registered parties, and independent lawmakers.

The committee would finalise the chief adviser from the nominated persons by consensus. In case the selection process gets stuck, the members would select the finalist through secret ballot, using a ranked-choice method.

If the proposed formulas fail, the reinstatement of the caretaker government-related provisions, adopted by the constitution’s 13th amendment, would be applied.

However, the consideration of the president’s additional role as chief adviser, as mentioned as the last option of the 13th amendment, would not be applicable.

Opposing the proposal, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed recommended a four-member selection committee, excluding the representation from the third-largest party in the parliament.

He said that an expansion of the selection committee would encourage horse-trading.

In a parliament, purchase of vote or support is often termed as horse-trading.

Salahuddin also opposed the ranked-choice method, recommending the selection of the chief adviser should be based on consensus in order to avoid political differences in the future.

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami voted for a five-member selection committee but opposed the ranked-choice method.

‘If all of the proposed methods fail, we recommend reinstating the 13th amendment, excluding the president,’ Jamaat nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said.

Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh general secretary Saiful Huq recommended an 11-member cabinet of the caretaker government and the selection of other advisers by a selection committee.

A number of parties, including the Amar Bangladesh Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Gano Adhikar Parishad, Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and Nagorik Oikya voted for a five-member selection committee and ranked-choice method to determine the chief adviser.

Postponing the discussion on the issue, the NCC vice-chair requested the parties that opposed the ranked-choice method to come up with an alternative way in the next session.

The NCC later presented fresh proposals regarding the appointment of top officials of the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General office, Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Ombudsman.

As per the proposals, the president would appoint one chief election commissioner and up to four election commissioners, based on recommendations from a selection committee.

This committee would include the speaker, deputy speaker, leaders of the parliament and the opposition, a lawmaker from the third-largest party or other opposition parties, a non-partisan nominee from the president and an Appellate Division judge representing the chief justice.

Ninety days before the end of current officials’ terms, the committee would invite applications from ‘interested’ candidates, requiring a letter of interest and biodata as defined by the stipulated law.

The same process would apply to selecting three seven-member Public Service Commissions -- each for general, education, and health cadres, as well as for appointing the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Ombudsman.

For the ACC, a separate seven-member selection committee was proposed, comprising the second-most senior Appellate Division judge, the senior-most High Court judge, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Public Service Commission chair, one representative each from the ruling and opposition parties and a civil-society member nominated by the president.

LDP secretary general Redwan Ahmed opposed the inclusion of representatives from the president and chief justice in the committees while RWPB’s Saiful raised concerns about the application process for interested candidates while SPB’s general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz questioned the lack of clarity in the decision-making mechanism.

Due to time constraints, the commission adjourned the session without concluding the discussion until today.​

 

[Saif]

Consensus reached on appointing CEC, ECs: Ali Riaz

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz on Wednesday said that a consensus has been reached regarding the procedure for appointing the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners (ECs) during the commission’s dialogue with political parties.

en.prothomalo.com

Consensus reached on appointing CEC, ECs: Ali Riaz

BSS Dhaka
Published: 23 Jul 2025, 20: 26

Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz on Wednesday spoke at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz on Wednesday spoke at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. BSS

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz on Wednesday said that a consensus has been reached regarding the procedure for appointing the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners (ECs) during the commission’s dialogue with political parties.

A revised proposal has been placed by amending Article 118(1) of the existing Constitution, he said while briefing the reporters after the end of 18th day’s dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, according to a press release issued by the commission.

In the revised proposal, Ali Riaz said, it is stated that a full-fledged election commission will comprise CEC and a legally prescribed number of ECs.

He said a five-member selection committee, headed by the Speaker, will initiate the process of appointing the CEC and other ECs for a five-year term, 90 days prior to the expiry of the outgoing commission’s tenure.

He added, this will be done in accordance with procedures outlined in law, including inviting “expressions of interest” and relevant information from potential candidates, as well as independently seeking suitable individuals.

The commission vice-chairman said that the selection committee will include, in addition to the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker from the opposition, the prime minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and a Justice of the Appellate Division nominated by the chief justice.

The committee will transparently review the resumes of shortlisted candidates and, by consensus, recommend one individual as chief election commissioner and one individual for each of the other commissioner positions to the President.

The President will then appoint them for a five-year term, effective from the date they assume office.

Under the Speaker’s supervision, the National Parliament Secretariat will provide administrative support to the selection committee.

Professor Riaz also mentioned that in case of a vacancy due to the end of term or any other reason, the newly appointed commissioners will assume responsibility the following day.

Furthermore, a new law and code of conduct will be enacted by Parliament to ensure accountability of the election commission. However, sub-articles 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the existing Article will remain unchanged, he added.
Commission members justice Md Emdadul Haque, Iftekharuzzaman, Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain and Md Aiyub Miah, and Chief

Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haidar were present.

Representatives from 30 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Ganosamhati Andolan, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Biplobi Workers’ Party, and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party.​