Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul has stated that six reform commissions have submitted their final reports. They have proposed reforms in three timeframes: immediate, medium-term, and long-term. "We want to proceed with the election process as soon as the fundamental reforms necessary for a free and fair election are implemented. This government has no intention of unnecessarily prolonging its stay in power," he said.
"We will begin discussions with political parties regarding the reform reports."
He made these remarks at a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital yesterday(Saturday). The Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was also present at the event.
Asif Nazrul said, “Some have defined immediate reforms as those to be completed within the next six months, while others believe certain reforms can start as early as tomorrow. However, they all agree that these reforms must be implemented before the next election. Some immediate reforms will require political consensus. By mid-February, we will initiate discussions with political parties on these reports.”
He further stated, “There are some proposals that should not face any objections. In fact, we have already implemented some reforms even before the reform proposals were submitted.”
In response to a question, he mentioned that long-term reforms would be carried out by the post-election government. "We hope to implement the immediate reforms before the election with political consensus. The medium-term reforms will depend on how willing the political parties are. Many reforms have already been initiated by political parties themselves. Over the past 55 years, political parties have done many commendable things, but we tend to forget them when we start to criticize these political parties. Every party has its ideas regarding the whole reformation process. Many of the reform commission’s proposals were also part of the three-party alliance’s framework. If political parties can be assured that these reforms are not intended to prolong our stay in power, then many things can be implemented," he said.
He further said, “Five commissions have made immediate reform recommendations, while the Constitutional Reform Commission has not proposed any immediate reforms. This is because every constitutional amendment will be undertaken based on political consensus. In many cases, new laws will have to be enacted. Some matters will require political consensus, while others will not. We have already enacted some laws," he noted.
At the event, he outlined the immediate recommendations made by the reform commissions. Regarding the report of the Electoral Reform Commission, he emphasized that political consensus would be necessary in many aspects.
Regarding the proposals of the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) Reform Commission, he said, “They have made several immediate recommendations. They have proposed a complete shutdown of the opportunity to turn the ‘black’ money into ‘white money’. They have also recommended the permanent abolition of all indemnity laws that prevent corruption-related inquiries.”
Sharing his experience with the two ministries under his supervision, Asif Nazrul stated, “Some former ministers had deposited illegally acquired billions of taka in certain private banks, which they or their relatives were involved in establishing. Recovering those funds has been an exhausting challenge for me.”
bd-pratidin/Rafid
