Constitution amendment
Molla Mohammad Shaheen, Dept of English, DU
The Jatiya Sangsad has passed the Constitution Amendment Bill 2004 amid public censure. The main opposition party, Awami League, boycotted the parliament to show disagreement. The BNP led coalition faced no hurdle to pass the bill as it has an overwhelming majority in the House. The main provision of the amendment bill is to incorporate 45 reserved seats for the womenfolk. The provision is otiose as women want direct election but the bill does not meet their demand. To empower women, direct election and active participation of the womenfolk in politics are very essential. Another provision in the bill is hanging of the portraits of president and prime minister in the public offices. That is also redundant. To ensure this, a constitutional amendment is not needed. The most controversial provision in the bill is enhancement of the retirement age of judges from 65 to 67. There is a hearsay that the government is working according to a plan .The government should clarify its position on the issue. The 14th amendment is nothing but a show of strength by the ruling coalition. The BNP should keep in mind that this attitude wreaks havoc in the long run. It should learn from the NDA coalition's defeat in India.
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