DHAKA:  Awami League General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said a commission will be formed during the current session of parliament to bring amendment to the constitution, as the present government plans major changes to the country’s basic laws.

“The Commission will scrutinize and look into the amendments that will be required for reestablishing the Constitution of 1972,” he said.

He was addressing a joint meeting of the AL and different front organizations at the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue, where steps for the envisaged changes were discussed.

Ashraf said the 5th amendment of the Constitution was brought during the regime of Ziaur Rahman, which was declared illegal by both the Supreme Court and the High Court.

“Now it has become constitutional obligation for amending the Constitution,” he said, adding that Parliament is the right place for changing or amending the Constitution.  

A name of the committee would be proposed during the current session of the House in consultation with the ruling party and the opposition, Ashraf said.

Once the committee is approved in parliament, he added, it will get down to working on the changes.

The ruling-party general secretary also mentioned that the government has initiated the trial of the war criminals as per its election pledge, and “the party will be in the field until the final verdict and its execution”.

Divisional grand rallies of the party would be held after Ramadan and party president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina would be present at all the rallies, he said about the plan for revamping the party.

BDST: 2001 HRS. JULY 20, 2010