Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. Photo : Video Screenshot

SANGSAD BHABAN, April 30, 2026 (BSS) - Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today urged the opposition to join the government's initiative of constitutional amendment in line with the spirit of the July Charter with a view to annulling the controversial fifteen amendment of the constitution. 

"You [the opposition] are most welcome and can join 17-member special parliamentary committee to bring necessary amendment of the constitution in light of the spirit of the July charter," he said.

The minister said this while taking part in the discussion on thanksgiving motion on the President's speech at the Jatiya Sangsad here with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram in the chair.

He said the government is ready to bring constitutional amendments, including the removal of the 7 March address of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with certain controversial clauses and sub-clauses, in the greater interest of democracy and to fulfill the people's aspirations.

Portraying the scenario of the looting during the last fifteen years, the minister said nearly Taka 30 lakh crore siphoned off abroad from the country during the fascist regime, adding that on an average US$16 billion were siphoned off in every year during the regime.

He said this huge amount of looted money would have been enough to build 14 metro rails and 24 Padma Bridges, citing a report by noted macro-economist and public policy analyst Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya. 
The minister urged the opposition to enhance cooperation with the government to bring back the siphoned money instead of engaging in unnecessary debate on liberation and anti-liberation issues.

Talking about grabbing the banks, he said the banks were grabbed during the fascist regime and also during the regime of the interim government but the style of occupying the bank was different. 

Recalling the struggle for the last fifteen years since 2009, the home minister said we have reached here through passing a long blood stain way and nobody should try to undermine it. "We never want to forget the widespread looting which has crippled the economy of the country as the country will not go ahead only to do the politics of spirit forgetting the looting by the fascist."

Calling on the opposition to play a constructive role, Salahuddin said respecting the people's mandate in accordance with parliamentary norms is real politics. He added that the government is committed to implementing all valid reforms after discussions with stakeholders.

Expressing concern over the spread of rumours, he said Article 39 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, but it is not absolute, as the dissemination of rumours from both home and abroad can adversely affect social and religious harmony.

He said such a disgraceful trend would not be allowed and urged the concerned Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to bring those involved under the law.

Recalling his political struggle, disappearance cases and exile over the last 19 years, the minister said he envisions a country free from exploitation and emphasised that democratic achievements must not be stigmatised or undermined.

Highlighting the hardship of the forcibly disappeared Ilius Ali, a former lawmaker of Sylhet-2, the home minister said the family of victim Ilius is still waiting for his return, so, we have to build this country so that such heinous crimes would not take place again.

The minister urged the opposition to work jointly for materialize a dream of building a discrimination free Bangladesh.