DHAKA, March 28: Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the national constitution would be amended in line with public expectations, and giving top priority to those who lost their lives in the July 2024 uprising.
Speaking after a police training parade at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Sardah, Rajshahi, Ahmed said the reforms would be grounded in political consensus captured in the so-called July Charter – a document intended for the overhaul of the constitution – as agreed by all political parties following the unrest.
He indicated that the charter would serve as the guiding framework for both the scope and direction of proposed amendments.
Ahmed confirmed that a Constitution Reform Committee would be established to oversee consultations and draft recommendations.
Furthermore, the body is expected to engage with political stakeholders, legal experts and civil society groups as it reviews key constitutional provisions and considers potential revisions.
One of the most notable questions under discussion is the long-standing debate over the historical narrative of the Bangladesh Liberation War, and the contribution of certain individuals, including former President Ziaur Rahman, which continues to be a point of debate to this day.
The BNP minister said a committee would examine whether or not Ziaur Rahman should be formally recognised in the Constitution as the proclaimer of independence – a question which likewise has caused much political divide.
The minister emphasised that any changes would follow a formal parliamentary process, with all proposed amendments to be introduced in the national legislature, requiring multiple readings and approval stages before adoption, in line with constitutional procedures.
He said the objective was to ensure that reforms are both institutionally sound and publicly legitimate, aligning legal changes with “the expectations of the people” as well as the “aspirations of the martyrs” of the July uprising.
The question of constitutional amendments in line with the tenets of the July Charter – itself a divisive document – has been an issue of contention among politicians, as officials have warned that such process could lead to significant shifts in the state’s founding principles, governance structures, codification of historical interpretations, and overall state architecture.
While no timeline has been formally announced, the creation of the reform committee marks the first concrete step towards what could become one of the most consequential constitutional overhauls in Bangladesh’s recent history. ()UNI)
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