‘Full trust and faith in Almighty Allah’ to be restored in constitution: Home Minister

Salahuddin Ahmed, Home Minister, has said the main priority of the government in amending the constitution is implementation of the July National Charter. Alongside this the promises given in the election manifesto will also be considered in the process of amending the constitution. As part of this ‘full trust and faith in Almighty Allah’ will be restored as the fundamental principle of state management in the constitution.

He said these words to journalists after the third meeting of the special committee related to constitutional amendment at the media centre of the National Parliament in the evening on Sunday (September 27).

Salahuddin Ahmed said ‘full trust and faith in Almighty Allah’ was added as the fundamental principle of state management in Article 8 of the constitution by martyred President Ziaur Rahman. He also mentioned that this is a promise given in their election manifesto.

Regarding referendum the convener of the committee said after the student-public mass uprising of August 5 the 15th amendment of the constitution was cancelled by the Supreme Court verdict and Article 142 has been revived. As a result if changes are brought in some important matters of the constitution including the preamble, Articles 8, 48, 56 and 142 it may be necessary to take a referendum of the people before the approval of the President. This referendum will be held after the amendment bill is passed in Parliament.

He also informed that proposal for referendum has also come regarding protection of the caretaker government system. Salahuddin Ahmed said proposal has been given from BNP’s side—that the caretaker government system for the establishment of which they carried out movement for long 17 years, a provision of making referendum mandatory can be added in the case of changing the related constitutional article so that no future parliament can cancel it easily.

Regarding the timeline of constitutional amendment the convener of the committee said strong effort is ongoing to present the report of the amendment committee in Parliament within December. On the basis of that report the Law Ministry will prepare an amendment bill. If everything remains fine the bill may be placed in the first session of Parliament in January next year.

He informed that after the bill is placed in Parliament discussion and necessary amendments will be brought on it. If the bill is passed the amendment process will be finalised only after voting is held on those matters for which referendum is constitutionally required.