Jatiya Sangsad Opposition Withdraws from Parliament Over Constitutional Reforms The opposition parties in Bangladesh have withdrawn from the National Parliament, rejecting partial constitutional reforms and demanding full-scale amendments along with a referendum. The decision comes after the government passed 133 ordinances, including several reform-related measures, without establishing a constitutional reform council as promised. The opposition, led by Jatiya Amrit leader Shafiqur Rahman, criticized the government for sidelining the people’s will and undermining key institutions. Rahman accused the government of ignoring the results of a referendum where 70% of voters supported constitutional reforms. He argued that the lack of a comprehensive reform process has created public distrust and fear. The opposition claims that critical bills, such as those establishing the Human Rights Commission and the Missing Persons Act, were passed without proper legislative scrutiny, effectively bypassing the parliament. The government’s handling of the reforms has been a point of contention. A special committee recommended converting 98 ordinances into laws, amending 15, and drafting new bills for 16 others. However, the opposition argues that these measures were implemented unilaterally, bypassing democratic processes. Rahman highlighted the failure to address core issues like judicial independence, anti-corruption commissions, and police reforms, which he says are essential to prevent authoritarianism. The opposition’s withdrawal followed a series of protests and demands for transparency. They criticized the government for failing to respond to their calls for a referendum and for passing laws without parliamentary debate.#parliament #jatiya_sangsad #jatiya_amrit #shafiqur_rahman #constitutional_reforms
