Chief Coordinator of Ganasamhati Andolon, Zonayed Saki, on Sunday emphasized the necessity of establishing a precise timeline for the upcoming national election.
Speaking after a meeting with the National Consensus Commission, Saki questioned the rationale behind any potential delay beyond December 2025.
“If the election is to be postponed beyond December, there must be a clear explanation for the delay,” Saki remarked. His statement follows an earlier announcement by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, who indicated that the election would be held between December 2025 and June 2026.
Saki highlighted that other advisers also confirmed that the elections would not go beyond this proposed timeframe. However, he called for a more specific and final timeline, which should be established through further discussions.
The meeting, chaired by National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz, was attended by a 10-member delegation from Ganasamhati Andolon, including Saki himself. The discussion took place at the LD Hall in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Saki expressed hope that the government would engage with all relevant stakeholders to finalize the election date. He reiterated that any decision to delay the polls past December must be thoroughly justified to the public.
On the topic of constitutional reform, Saki stated that amendments to the Constitution should only be made with the mandate of the people or through Parliament.
However, he pointed out that administrative reforms outside the scope of the Constitution could be enacted via executive orders by the interim government, with validation by the next government.
Saki also raised concerns regarding Article 70 of the Constitution, which currently prohibits Members of Parliament (MPs) from voting against their own party. He proposed reforming this article to allow MPs to vote independently on all matters, except for votes of confidence and the national budget.
“This change would empower MPs to better represent their constituents and balance power within the Parliament,” he explained.
Abul Hasan Rubel, Executive Coordinator of Ganasamhati Andolon, addressed the issue of the balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister.
Rubel criticized the current structure, where the President seemingly cannot act without the Prime Minister's approval. He called for reforms that would grant the President greater authority in specific areas, such as appointments and other duties.
Additionally, he urged for a clearer structural balance among the three branches of government—the executive, legislature, and judiciary—within the Constitution.
Ganasamhati Andolon expressed support for 138 of the 166 reform proposals put forth by the National Consensus Commission. The party partially agreed with 13 proposals, disagreed with 11, and did not comment on four others.
Members of the Consensus Commission present at the meeting included Safar Raj Hossain, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, and Dr. Iftekharuzzaman. The discussion was moderated by Monir Haider, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
The National Consensus Commission began its talks with political parties on March 20, 2025, aiming to build a national consensus on key state reforms.
To date, the commission has held discussions with 17 political parties, including BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP).
Established on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, the commission is tasked with shaping a unified national stance on crucial reforms.
