DHAKA: BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia unfolded her party’s ‘Vision 2030’ at a press conference at the Westin hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon (May 10), featuring 37-point proposals.
She said shat the sole executive power of the prime minister in the existing system makes the PM an autocratic dictatorship in guise of the Parliamentary government system. She is pledged to bring balance of power of the PM. The executive power will be balanced with necessary constitutional amendment if the BNP is voted to the power, she said.
Khaleda Zia in the vision said that BNP wants to turn Bangladesh into a modern and democratic upper high-middle income country by 2030 with US$5,000 as per capita income.
Her written statement at the press conference began around 5:00 pm and it continued over one hour. BNP’s standing committee members, senior leaders of the party and top leaders of the 20-party alliance attended the press conference.
The democracy, government system, judiciary, defence, foreign policy, service sectors, social safety network, Liberation War, terrorism, militancy, economy, media, ICT and other issued were included in the 37-point ‘Vision 2030’,
About the Parliamentary system, Khaleda Zia said that they will establish upper house of the Jatiya Sangsad for examining, reforming the current constitutional arrangement.
They will also reintroduce referendum in the country. “BNP will restore the provision of the referendum in the Constitution to reinstate the democratic right of the people,” she said.
She also spoke about public opinion and freedom of expression. She said that her party does not want the people’s power to be limited only voting. They want to provide freedom of expression and public opinion at large scale, said the former premier.
The BNP chairperson also spoke about their steps to reform the justice system, promising to establish the rule of law. Justice seekers will know about the open information of the courts through electronic or online systems and other technologies, she said.
The BNP want to form a high-level judicial commission to reform the existing justice system, said the BNP chief.
According to Khaleda Zia’s vision paper, a new law will be introduced to set competence standards for appointment of judges through a select committee and supreme judicial council.
She said that police in many instances do not entertain cases “This is denial of justice. The right to even justice in the criminal cases through proper protection of the law on the part of criminal justice seekers will be ensured,” she said. She, however, said the law-enforcement agencies will be freed from partisan influence.
Khaleda Zia proposed that the office and position of the Ombudsman will be created as per the Constitution to ensure administrative accountability and transparency.
She talked for canceling the Special Power Act in 1974. She also talked about annulment of Section 57 of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) act.
BDST: 2008 HRS, MAY 10, 2017
EHJ
