Commissions disagree over reform recommendations.
The interim government of Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has so far formed 11 commissions for state reform. The reports of these commissions are almost final. Recommendations of 6 important commissions will be placed this month. But in the meantime, there have been differences of opinion over recommendations of several commissions. Apart from this, there is also a difference of opinion on whether these reports of the reform commissions would be published for public information. It is learnt that the government will discuss these with the political parties once the reform commissions submit their reports.
Four Advisors to the Interim Government held a day-long meeting with the heads of the reform commissions on Saturday. According to the commission sources, some issues related to the reform are related to more than one commission. Among these, what will be the electoral system, presidential elections, what will be the electoral system of which chamber if the parliament is bicameral-are related to the Electoral Reform Commission as well as the Constitutional Reform Commission. Discussions have also been held on these issues. Issues on which the Constitutional Reform Commission and the Electoral Reform Commission still have different views will be further discussed by the two commissions. The meeting discussed whether the reports of the reform commissions will be made public or not, sources said.
Most of the panel chiefs have given their votes for publishing the reports. However, there are divided opinions among the advisors on this issue. No decision has been taken yet.
Head of Election Reform Commission Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder told Aamer Soomi, “The report has not been finalized yet. We had already met. We are discussing. We have exchanged experiences.” Regarding a question to the common recommendations of the two commissions, he said, “All issues are being discussed. We are constantly meeting. We will meet again.”.
When asked about the public release of the recommendations of the reform commission, Badiul Alam said it is a matter for the government. The government will decide. I hope they will publish it.
Dr. Al Masud Hasanuzzaman, retired professor of the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University, told Aamer Soomi that the two commissions have some similarities. They recently held a meeting. They have heard their statements. They will coincide in some matters. As the governance of the state will be run through these. Already views have been presented by them. It is a good aspect. The issues should be looked at in more detail before moving forward. There are pros and cons for a bicameral parliament. The issues are being done on a trial and error basis. When it comes to reality, it will be understood how results turn out. They are hoping for an exchange of views whereby a recommendation acceptable to all is made. The stakeholders, too, look forward to that.
Regarding the publication of the report, he said, the heads of the reform commission have already published many issues. This report should definitely be published in public. Interim government will exchange views with political parties based on opinions of the people. Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission Head Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “There are a few areas applicable or complementary to each other for the commissions. Discussion in such areas has been made so that there may arise coordination.
Sources said the dialogue on reforms with political parties can be held after receiving the reports of the commissions. The National Consensus Commission comprising the heads of the six reform commissions led by the Chief Advisor will hold the dialogue.
Accordingly, the Electoral System, Police, Judiciary, Anti-Corruption Commission, and Public Administration Reform Commission were formed on 3rd October. These five commissions were given 90 days to submit their reports to the Chief Advisor. Accordingly, their reports were supposed to be submitted by January 2. And the Constitutional Reform Commission was formed on October 6. This commission was supposed to submit its report by January 5. On November 4, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus met with the heads of the six commissions of the first phase. There, the Chief Advisor was informed about the progress of the work of the commissions. As such, the extension terms of Commissions on Public Administration Reform, Police Reform Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission, Electoral System Reform Commission and Constitutional Reform Commission till January 15 but it gives up to January 31 to present a report about judicial reforms commission. The Commission for Media, Health, Labour, Women’s Affairs and Local Government Reform was also formed in the second phase on November 18. Time for receipt of their reports has been extended up to February 17.
The six commissions initially formed have opened a website to collect opinions, held dialogues with stakeholders, exchanged views, conducted surveys and collected opinions in writing. The work on preparing the report, by way of reviewing these proposals and opinions to prepare the recommendations, is still ongoing. Meanwhile, the chiefs of the 11 commissions met with the interim government’s legal advisor Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Fawzul Kabir Khan and industry adviser Adilur Rahman Khan at the office of Transparency International Bangladesh, TIB, at Midas Center in the capital on Saturday.
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