Jamaat-e-Islami amir Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday said that the opposition would not nominate representatives for the government-proposed committee on constitutional amendments.
He warned that if the implementation of the July Charter was not resolved in Jatiya Sangsad in line with the referendum verdict, they would take to the streets.
In a views exchange meeting with reporters at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad, the opposition leader said that whatever could be resolved in parliament would be settled there, and that if it was not, they would take to the streets.
Shafiqur said that they would not abandon the people’s demand.
He said that the opposition remained committed to its stance, stressing that it would not compromise on public expectations.
Shafiqur said that the opposition would not take part in the government-proposed committee on constitution amendments as the people’s mandate was for constitution reforms, as reflected through a referendum.
He said that as a significant majority of voters, around 70 per cent, had supported the position, the opposition did not wish to change it in parliament.
Shafiqur said that they stood firmly with the people’s verdict.
He said that a separate committee for constitution amendments was unnecessary, describing such work as routine legislative business that should be introduced as a bill by the treasury bench and debated in parliament, where it could be either passed or rejected.
The Jamaat leader also said that a committee would only be justified for comprehensive constitution reforms, and the opposition would consider participation only under such circumstances.
Shafiqur said that the opposition had raised several issues in the JS through formal notices, including the referendum, banking sector concerns and the welfare of expatriate workers.
He also said that that a notice on border push-in incidents was removed from the agenda after it was termed ‘sensitive,’ despite the opposition’s insistence on discussing it in the national interest.
The opposition leader said that they intended to adopt a different approach in parliament compared to the past, adding that they would not act as a ‘disruptive opposition’ but would speak in the public interest.
Shafiqur said that each minute of parliamentary proceedings costs around Tk 176,000 and urged the speaker to curb personal remarks, character assassinations and political flattery in the House so that parliament remained focused on public issues.
The meeting was attended by deputy opposition leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, opposition chief whip Nahid Islam and Jamaat secretary general Mia Golam Porwar among others.
