The six reform commissions initially formed would submit draft recommendations, instead of final reports, to the interim government chief adviser by the deadlines.
Given the continuous flow of opinions from stakeholders, some members of the commissions said that they might need extended deadlines to incorporate stakeholder feedback.
Following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led regime on August 5, the interim government announced full-fledged reform commissions for the judiciary, electoral system, police, public administration, and the Anti-Corruption Commission on October 3. A full-fledged constitution reform commission was announced on October 7.
Separate gazettes published on October 3 required the judiciary, electoral, police, public administration, and ACC reform commissions to submit their reports within 90 days, by December 31, 2024. The deadline for the constitution reform commission is January 5, 2025.
In response to the requirement of the electoral reform commission, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics began a two-day nationwide public opinion survey on Friday.
Incorporating the statistical bureau鈥檚 survey data and feedback from the related government agencies into the Electoral Reform Commission report might take time, said a commission member preferring anonymity.
Earlier from October 31 to December 15, the commission gathered public inputs through its dedicated website, Facebook page and email.
Electoral Reform Commission chief Badiul Alam Majumder, however, said on December 19 that he was hopeful about submitting the commission鈥檚 major recommendations by December 31.
The police reform commission has already prepared its first draft report and shared it with the interim government鈥檚 two advisers and law enforcement chiefs.
Several members of the commission said that they would need a deadline extension for revisions based on feedback.
鈥榃e are hopeful of submitting our report in time, even as the commission continues to receive feedback from stakeholders,鈥� said police reform commission spokesperson Abu Mumtaz Saad Uddin Ahmed, also the Public Security Division additional secretary of the home ministry.
A constitution reform commission member, speaking anonymously, said that the commission would submit draft recommendations and a time extension would help them incorporate feedback.
Its chief Professor Ali Riaz, however, affirmed the commission鈥檚 commitment to meeting its deadline.
Anti-Corruption Commission reform commission chief Iftekharuzzaman and Judiciary Reform Commission member Quazi Mahfujul Hoque Supan expressed satisfaction with the progress of drafting recommendations for their respective reports.
No response was received from the public administration reform commission regarding the submission of its report.
On December 17, the public administration reform commission faced criticism for proposals to separate the health and education cadres from the Bangladesh Civil Service and to reduce the administration cadre鈥檚 quota for deputy and joint secretary posts.
On November 18, the interim government established five more reform commissions on health, labour, women, media, and local government, fixing their report submission deadline at February 16, 2025.
