Last 15 years a show of absolute power – Professor Rehman Sobhan

Originally posted in The Daily Star on 13 October 2024

The head of government has always enjoyed “absolute power” which corrupts an individual, Prof Rehman Sobhan told a webinar last night.

“When you are in power for 15 years, that is a demonstration of absolute power. And the power centred upon one person,” said the chairman of Centre for Policy Dialogue.

The most powerful institution has been the prime minister’s secretariat, and ministers became subordinates to the PM, reducing the authority of parliament, he told the discussion organised by the Samaj Gobeshona Kendra.

Regarding the reforms that the interim government will make, Rehman, a former caretaker government adviser, said as political parties to be elected in the next polls will be the implementer of the reforms, the parties should reach a consensus about the changes.

Prof Rounaq Jahan, distinguished fellow of CPD, said the speculations that rewriting the constitution might cause controversies are logical.

The issue can even delay the reaching of a consensus by the parties, she said.

A proportional representation election system can prevent rulers from becoming autocratic. “But we have yet to see commitments from the BNP and Awami League about the system.”

Prof Nazrul Islam of Asian Growth Research Institute said most countries, including nearly 70 percent of the developed ones, have proportional representation.

In such a system, the president will be elected by the MPs with at least two-thirds majority and no individual will be the prime minister for more than two times.

Reducing the government’s term to four years will prevent autocracy, he said, adding that, almost 80 percent of the developed countries have government terms shorter than five years.

He also recommended reintroducing the caretaker government system to the constitution. The government’s chief adviser would be someone who has broad parliamentary support.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the reform commission on Election Commission, said no reforms will work without a consensus among political parties.

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) leader Mujahidul Islam Selim said the task of amending the constitution should be left for the next elected government.

Prof Anu Muhammad said many provisions in the constitution were originally democratic, but through amendments, these provisions became communal and autocratic.

CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said only constitutional amendments that are needed for a free and fair election should be done.

People talking about rewriting the constitution probably want to make the Liberation War debatable, he added.

Razequzzaman Ratan, joint general secretary of the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, said most of the amendments to the constitution curtailed the democratic environment.

Nazrul, Anu Muhammad, Prince and Ratan said they were against a province-based federal government, and proposed strengthening the current local government system.

Dhaka University Prof MM Akash moderated the discussion presided over by Tajul Islam, president of Samaj Gobeshona Kendra.