Emergency Powers Must Be Debated in Parliament, Not Misused Politically : BNP’s Salahuddin

Last Updated on July 7, 2025 8:37 pm

Dhaka, July 7 — BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed has called for a thorough parliamentary debate on reforming Bangladesh’s emergency powers, stressing the need to amend Article 141 of the Constitution to prevent its political misuse.

Speaking after the 10th session of the National Consensus Commission, Salahuddin stated that major political parties have reached a consensus on revisiting the constitutional clauses related to emergency powers. However, he emphasized that reforms should not be rushed and must go through a robust legislative process.

“Our position is that the next parliament should resolve this through an extensive debate. The legal and constitutional implications are significant, and some provisions may require further legislation,” Salahuddin said, underlining the importance of democratic scrutiny in any proposed changes.

He noted that such reforms would likely intersect with several related constitutional provisions and must be addressed holistically to ensure the protection of civil liberties.

The commission’s draft proposal highlights that the existing emergency provisions—Articles 141A, 141B, and 141C—enable disproportionate restrictions on civil rights and significantly limit judicial oversight during emergencies.

Among the key proposals:

Emergency duration should not exceed 60 days without parliamentary renewal.

Constitutionally guaranteed civil rights must remain protected, even during a state of emergency.

Citizens must retain access to the courts to assert their rights under all circumstances.

Salahuddin’s remarks come amid ongoing dialogues aimed at reshaping the constitutional framework to strengthen democratic safeguards and ensure accountability during periods of national crisis.