The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion meeting in the city yesterday called for taking preparations to make the ninth Parliament to be elected trough the next general elections effective by taking lessons from the failures of the legislative bodies of the past.

The suggestions offered ranged from creation of pre-election understanding for making the legislature functional, creation of a balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister, steps to make the committees of Parliament effective and secure attendance of MPs by reducing the period of unauthorized absence among others.

Former Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Rouf was the chief guest at the discussion meting organized by the universal News Agency with Justice Sultan Hossain Khan in the chair. Justice Khan and Prof. Tarek Shamsur Rehman presented two papers.

Former Adviser of the caretaker government Major General Moinul Hossain Chowdhury, former State Minister Abul Hasan Chowdhury, former chairman of the Planning Commission Al Hossainy, Eminent Journalist Sadeq Khan, Prof. KM Mohsin, Prof. Anisuzzaman and Prof Sukomol Barua of Dhaka University, Ambassador Waliur Rahman, leading businessman Rashed Maqsud Khan, editor of The New Nation, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, poet Abdul Hye Sikdar, and Brig. Gen Mosharraf among others.

Justice Abdur Rouf warned against making experiment with the Constitution because such trial and error might lead to its death. Instead the rules of procedures might be changed to secure attendance of members and discharge of responsibilities by others in Parliament and its different committees.

He said that the original structure of the US Constitution has been retained over the centuries through some amendments done here and there. He said that the democracy in India worked through many times more problems than those faced in Bangladesh by retaining the constitution.

Jusitce Abdur Rouf said it was not fair to view the masses of people was knowing little as they made no mistake in giving correct verdicts at different points of Bangladesh’s history. The talk about power balance would not help much. Under the present state of things theoretically the President is most powerful but exercise of the powers depend on the person, he said.

Justice Sultan Hossain Khan in his paper underscored the need for a government of consensus for five years after the election of the ninth Parliament so that all parties and MPs can work together in the national interest for one term. The Parliament may initiate a process of suitable amendment of the Constitution by forming a 'Constitution review committee’ and enlisting the opinion of old and experienced people at home and abroad, he said.

Justice Khan called for the formation of a strong National Security Council under the leadership of the President and the Prime Minister and emphasised the need for strengthening the armed forces to meet the defence needs of the country.

Prof. Tarek Shamsur Rehman presented a set of recommendations for ensuring power balance between the President and the Prime Minister, making Parliament effective and reforming the political parties.

Major General (retd) Moinul Hossain Chowdhury called for reposing faith in the people and organising elections as early as possible. Steps taken by an unelected government would most often be repressive, he said suggesting that the government should work on minimum programmes and complete those.

Abul Hasan Chowdhury called for strengthening the local government institutions which would secure the foundations of democracy. He said that the nation needed a shock like that of 1/11 to reform. The failures that led to the change are not only of the political leaders, but also of all citizens. “We do not want to fail again,” he said.

Al Hossainy said that the government should not embark on too many agenda and instead ensure holding of the next elections. He underlined the need for fundamental changes in political behaviour of politicians for the success of democracy.