Opposition Leader and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman -File Photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, Mar 15, 2026 (BSS) – Opposition Leader and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman today urged the government to immediately convene a session of the Constitution Reform Council, stating that the constitutional timeframe for its first sitting is being expired.

Taking floor on point of order in the House today, Shafiqur Rahman said the current parliament was formed in the context of the July mass uprising and did not emerge through the usual constitutional process of parliamentary transition.
“The parliament has been constituted through a Presidential Order issued on November 13, 2025,” he said, adding that the order contains 15 directives, most of which are related to the July National Charter and the referendum on constitutional reforms.

Referring to the provisions of the order, Shafiqur Rahman said directives three to fifteen specifically deal with the July Charter, the referendum process and the formation of a Constitution Reform Council.

He noted that directive 10 stipulates that the first sitting of the Constitution Reform Council must be convened in the same manner as the first session of parliament and within 30 calendar days of the announcement of election results.

“Today is the 30th calendar day, yet the session of the council has not been convened,” he said, expressing concern over the delay.

Citing Article 72 of the Constitution, he said the President convenes, prorogues and dissolves parliament through official gazette notification and determines the time and place of the first meeting, usually acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.

“We assume the President has convened this parliamentary session on the written advice of the Prime Minister. But, the order clearly states that the Constitution Reform Council must also be convened in the same manner,” he said.

The opposition leader further recalled that the referendum on constitutional reforms had already been held alongside the parliamentary election as stipulated in the order.

According to him, nearly 70 percent of voters supported the reform proposals presented in the referendum.

He said the order further mandates that if there are majority votes in favour of the reform proposals, a Constitution Reform Council comprising the same elected representatives of parliament must be formed immediately after the general election.

“Unfortunately, that has not happened yet, and the deadline ends today,” he said.

Shafiqur Rahman said the elected representatives are expected to serve in two capacities — as members of parliament and as members of the Constitution Reform Council — in accordance with the provisions of the order.

He also noted that the council would have 180 working days from its first sitting to complete the constitutional reform process based on the July National Charter and the referendum results.

“The process must begin first; only then can it be completed,” he said.

The opposition leader added that 77 opposition members have already taken the oath as council members alongside their oath as members of parliament and signed the relevant documents.

He urged the authorities concerned to convene the first session of the Constitution Reform Council without further delay so that the mandate expressed by the people through the referendum can be implemented.