Parliament discussion on Constitution Reform Council set for March 31 after today’s heated exchanges
A two-hour discussion on convening the Constitution Reform Council will be held in parliament on Tuesday (March 31, 2026).
Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal, who was presiding over the House today, made the announcement after heated exchanges between members of the treasury and opposition benches.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The debate began after Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman submitted a notice seeking a discussion on convening the Constitution Reform Council.
Officials at the Parliament Secretariat said it has been rare for the speaker to allow discussion on such a notice since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991.
After the question-and-answer session, Shafiqur took part in the unscheduled discussion and said he had raised an issue of public importance. He noted that the speaker had advised him on March 15 to submit the notice in proper form.
“We have done so. Now, through you, I am placing this notice before parliament. The subject of the notice is the July National Charter Constitution Reform Implementation Order 2025,” said the Jamaat-e-Islami ameer.
Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, taking the floor, said parliamentary practice requires that such matters be raised only after the starred questions and Rule 71 discussions are completed.
“I would request the leader of the opposition to wait until the rules are finished,” he said.
Amid desk-thumping from Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed also questioned which provisions of the rules of procedure applied to the matter.
Shafiqur again took the floor, saying, “In line with the speaker’s instruction, I rose after the question-and-answer session. This is both my right and my responsibility.”
Kayser Kamal, after a debate between treasury bench and opposition members, said a decision on the matter would be announced later in the day’s proceedings.
After nearly an hour and a half, Shafiqur took the floor and placed the notice, which said that following the referendum’s decisive “Yes” vote win, members elected to the 13th National Parliament are legally bound to take two oaths -- one as members of parliament and another as members of the Constitution Reform Council.
MPs from the BNP-led alliance refused to take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council. Meanwhile, 77 MPs from the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance took both oaths.
According to the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025, the first session of the council should be convened in the same manner as the first session of parliament -- within 30 calendar days of the election results being declared. However, this has not yet been done.
After the opposition leader placed the proposal, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said that such an important matter requires debate and requested the speaker to set a time for discussion.
Immediately after the law minister’s speech, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed rose on a point of order.
He said the opposition leader’s notice was not in line with Rule 62 of the Rules of Procedure and should instead have been submitted under Rule 68. He added that the speaker could, if he wished, ask the opposition leader to correct it.
His statement prompted opposition MPs to stand up in protest, creating uproar in the House. Opposition members loudly voiced their objections, while the speaker repeatedly requested them to sit down.
After Salahuddin’s remarks, the opposition leader again took the floor. “I don’t know whether the discussion on the matter has actually begun. He has delivered a lengthy statement presenting his views. What we want is for the parliament to be adjourned first and then move into the discussion. After that, we will speak on the issue,” the Jamaat ameer said.
After hearing the statements of the opposition leader, the law minister, and the home minister, the deputy speaker gave his ruling.
Salahuddin Ahmed again took the floor despite objections from opposition MPs.
At that point, the deputy speaker said, “I have already given my decision. Please sit down.”
The home minister continued speaking even after his microphone was switched off.
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