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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday gave a 62 reform proposals for the constitution that included the reintroduction of the election-time caretaker government, bicameral parliament, provisions aimed at power balance between the prime minister and the president, and introduction of the vice president and deputy prime minister.

A two-member delegation, led by the party’s standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, submitted a copy of the proposals to Constitution Reform Commission chief professor Ali Riaz at the national parliament building in Dhaka.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, meanwhile, is going to launch a nationwide survey to get public opinions regarding the constitutional reform, Ali Reaz said, adding the findings would help his commission to have a comprehensive view on the issue.

After submitting the BNP proposals on the day, Salahuddin told reporters that his party proposed amendments in the constitution in 62 places, starting from its preamble to the schedule.

He said that his party prepared the proposals keeping in mind the aspirations of the country’s people and the blood pledge of the martyrs of the July-August mass uprising, and to prevent the rise of parliamentary dictatorship in the future.

It has further proposed provisions barring a person to hold the prime minister position more than twice in a row.

‘The BNP has also proposed the creation of an upper house in the parliament, bringing the subordinate courts under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and reintroduction of the referendum provision,’ Salahuddin Ahmed said.

The BNP standing committee member said that all issues, including republic, executive, judiciary, law, election commission, and schedule, were addressed in the proposal so that the reformed constitution outlined a truly democratic system. ‘We have proposed provisions enabling a balance of power in all the state organs,’ he said.

When asked about the recent discussion on rewriting of the constitution, he said that their proposal was for comprehensive amendment of the constitution. ‘We want amendment to transform it to a democratic constitution to fulfil people’s desire,’ he said.

Later, Ali Riaz said that the statistical bureau after doing the survey would give its report to his commission.

‘This survey will help us know the views of all types of people, urban, rural, elderly and young, from all over the country,’ he explained.

The professor, however, noted that the constitution was not only about elections.

‘We will make recommendations for the constitutional reforms regarding elections based on the opinions we would receive from the public,’ he said.

‘When the election will be, and in what process are the matters on which only the government has the say. It’s not something the Constitution Reform Commission can talk about,’ Ali Riaz added.

Mentioning that more than 50,000 opinions had been received from the constitution reform website, he said, ‘We have continued discussions with the stakeholders. We will also talk to some other organisations and leaders.’