Courts can invalidate govt efforts to amend constitution: Jamaat Ameer

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday claimed that any court can overturn state reforms measures adopted through constitutional amendments, urging the government to instead focus on drastically overhauling the constitution in line with the referendum verdict.

Speaking at an event in the National Press Club, the Shafiqur said the Opposition was not used the follow “the same futile path repeatedly” and “make the same mistake time and again.” The event marked the first anniversary of the July Charter signing.

Over the 15 years of Awami League’s fascist rule, the ruling BNP tried to oust authoritarian rule by seeking government permits for street protests in line with constitutional provisions. However, neither BNP, nor Jamaat could oust Awami League by following the constitutional provisions, he added.

Rather, the regime was ousted in an unconstitutional manner in a people’s uprising, he noted.

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BNP has now forgot the past, Shafiqur said, urging the government to leave the path of “constitutional amendment,” which would bring minimal changes, and called on the policymakers to instead focus on “constitutional reforms.”

The constitution must be changed from its core and must not be kept in its present form with minimal or namesake changes, he suggested.

He said that the government was trying to side-step the constitutional reform process as endorsed by 70% voters in the February referendum, by prioritising the BNP’s “notes of dissent” in the July Charter.

BNP expressed disagreements with the crucial state reform provisions of the July Charter, and now appears resolved to reflect the disagreements, ignoring people’s verdict, Shafiqur said.

He alleged that the ruling party and government were even avoiding the state reform provisions they had not opposed earlier.

Ahead of the February referendum, BNP said it would seek votes for a “yes” ballot in the referendum. However, in reality, the now-ruling party campaigned for a “no” vote, Shafiqur alleged.

He responded to the government’s call on the opposition to join the constitutional amendment talks. The talks have been planned to sidestep crucial reform measures and the people’s verdict, the Jamaat chief alleged, saying the Opposition would not join such “deceptive process.”

The Opposition Leader also alleged that the ruling BNP won a resounding mandate in the February general elections by courting Awami League’s supporters.

“They sought Awami League’s votes through various covert and overt means,” he alleged.

After the elections, one of BNP’s elected lawmaker from Natore even thanked Awami League supporters for helping him succeed, Shafiqur said.

The Jamaat Ameer said that the government was distributing different welfare cards for the marginal families. However, at the same time, the government was piling inflationary pressures by hiking taxes and allowing “unchecked corruption,” Shafiqur alleged.