Most parties back bicameral parliament: Ali Riaz

Most political parties in Bangladesh have expressed support in principle for establishing a bicameral parliament, with only minor objections from a few parties, said National Consensus Commission Vice Chair Ali Riaz.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday afternoon following the commission’s second round of talks at Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Riaz said discussions covered the electoral process, including proposals for a proportional voting system.

“Most parties favor voting based on proportional representation, though some have voiced clear objections. Given the overall support for a bicameral legislature, we believe further dialogue can resolve the differences,” he added.

On the proposed National Constitutional Council (NCC), Riaz noted that many parties did not back the idea. As a result, the commission revised its proposal, suggesting instead the formation of an Appointment Committee for constitutional and statutory bodies with a more limited mandate.

“We presented this adjusted framework today, specifying that the committee would oversee appointments for six key commissions: the Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Public Service Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, National Human Rights Commission, and the Information Commission. These bodies are vital to building a transparent and accountable state,” he said.

Explaining the proposed structure, Riaz detailed that when parliament is in session, the committee would include the prime minister, the speaker, the opposition leader, one representative from other opposition parties, and, if an upper house is formed, its speaker. Unlike earlier NCC proposals, the revised plan excludes the president and chief justice directly but allows the president to nominate a representative — someone eligible to be an MP, who has not been involved in party politics or the republic’s employment for at least ten years. The chief justice would nominate a judge from the Appellate Division, with the lower house speaker presiding over the committee.

A key debate centered on how this committee would function under a caretaker government. “Most parties supporting the new committee framework felt it would not be necessary during caretaker rule, suggesting that only the Election Commission appointments could be handled by the caretaker government, leaving other commissions outside its scope,” Riaz said.

He also confirmed that discussions indicated majority backing among parties for such a structure, though some still sought further clarity. “We have requested those parties to reconsider. Hopefully, they will review their positions,” he said.

Stressing that the process is crucial for national interests, not just partisan ones, Riaz urged political parties to remember the commitment they made last July. “Do we only want to secure our own or our party’s interests, or do we also care about the country? We hope to build broader consensus on most issues.”

The next round of talks has been scheduled for July 2.