No discussion on state reforms with ‘genocidal’ Awami League: Law adviser

The interim government will not hold any discussion on state reforms with the Awami League, which committed genocide during the student-mass uprising, Law, Justice and Parliament Affairs Adviser Asif Nazrul said today (19 September).

“I want to make it clear that there will be no discussion with mass murderers, those who committed crimes against humanity, killed about a thousand people, seriously injured many more people, made them blind, and are now absconding in fear of trial,” he said at a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy in the evening after a meeting with the heads of the proposed six reform commissions and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the CA residence in Tejgaon.

He said the government will hold discussions on reforms with political parties other than AL, civil society organisations, professionals’ organisations, student organisations, and others.

The adviser also said today’s meeting decided that the six reform commissions will submit their report to the government on 31 December.

“The reports will be published online after being reviewed by the Advisory Council,” he said.
“The process of appointing the other members of the commissions, their scopes and the procedures were also discussed in today’s meeting,” said Asif.

The law adviser said the main goal of the reform works will be to restore democracy and reform the state apparatus and abolish the fascist system permanently.

Regarding the reorganisation of the Election Commission, he said, “Work on restructuring the EC will begin after the CA returns from the United States.”

Earlier this month, CA Yunus announced that six reform commissions are set to be formed. The commissions are set to begin work from 1 October and will submit their reports within three months.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), will chair the Electoral System Reform Commission; Safar Raz Hossain, a former secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, will lead the Police Administration Reform Commission; Justice Shah Abu Naeem Mominur Rahman will head the Judiciary Reform Commission; Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, will lead the Anti-Corruption Reform Commission; Abdul Mueed Chowdhury, the newly appointed chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, will head the Public Administration Reform Commission; and Ali Riaz will lead the  Constitution Reform Commission.