Dhaka, Feb 21 (.) Noting the overwhelming majority by which the ‘Yes’ vote on the July Charter referendum won during the February 12 polls, the newly-elected BNP Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee said on Saturday that there was no need for the government to take a separate oath, in reference to the party’s refusal to take a second oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council.
“The national election has already been held. The members of parliament have taken oath. A referendum was conducted and the ‘Yes’ has won,” he told reporters after paying tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement at the Shaheed Minar in the Lakshmipur district.
The ‘Yes’ vote had won by a massive 62 per cent margin and as such would have allowed for the charter’s ratification by the parliament, enabling a constitutional overhaul and bringing about fundamental changes in Bangladesh’s political identity.
However, the BNP – which holds a two-thirds supermajority in the Parliament – refused to take oath on the council, arguing that the reform council lacks any legal or constitutional standing and that any amendments must proceed through standard legislative procedures.
Nonetheless, the party claimed that it would honour the charter’s principles but only via the parliament, instead of the council.
Urging the public to abstain from indulging in “mobocracy”, Chowdhary Anee said it would result only in more instability and disruption of order.
“Mob culture means creating chaos. If an atmosphere of disorder is created, it will obstruct the process of building Bangladesh. Those who create obstacles to building the country will eventually turn into enemies of the nation,” he said.
. . JRC