NCP agrees on 113 reform proposals

The newly established National Citizen’s Party (NCP) has expressed its support for 113 out of 166 key reform proposals aimed at bringing about changes in various sectors. 

The party believes that reforms not related to the constitution can be implemented through ordinances, while constitutional matters would require a Constituent Assembly election.

On Sunday, March 23, NCP submitted its official stance on the proposed reforms to the National Consensus Commission. 

Afterward, Sarwar Tushar, the party’s Joint Convenor and Coordinator of the Reform Coordination Committee, briefed the media.

Tushar explained that the NCP agrees with 113 of the proposals, while they are in partial agreement with 29 others. 

The party submitted their detailed opinions in a spreadsheet and also provided comments on why they disagreed with certain proposals.

NCP’s key points included backing the idea of a bicameral parliament. 

However, the party emphasized that political parties must announce the candidates for the upper house before the general election so that voters have clarity on who they are voting for.

According to Tushar, “Since voters will cast only one vote, they have the right to know who will represent them in the upper house.”

On the matter of the Prime Minister advising the President, the NCP proposed that while the Prime Minister may offer advice, it should not be mandatory for the President to follow it.

The party also recommended that the interim government should function solely as an election-time transitional body, with a tenure ranging from 70 to 75 days. 

NCP further suggested that in the long run, such an interim government may no longer be necessary. 

Instead, a proposed constitutional council, once established, could take over this responsibility.

Present at the press briefing alongside Tushar were other members of the NCP’s Reform Coordination Committee, including Munira Sharmin, Javed Rashim, Arman Hossain, and Saleuddin Sifat.

NCP’s positions reflect its intent to pursue practical reforms that can be implemented efficiently while seeking broader consensus on matters requiring constitutional amendments.