DHAKA: The convenor of the newly launched Jatiya Nagorik Party, Md Nahid Islam, on Tuesday said it’s not possible to build a new Bangladesh by keeping the old constitution and governance structure.
“It is not enough to change the govt alone. To implement the welfare of the people and establish true democracy, we must reform the governance structure and the constitution. This will enable us to ensure justice, equality and democracy,” Islam said. His remarks came after he paid tribute to Liberation War martyrs at the National Memorial Mausoleum, marking the first programme organised by JNP since its establishment as a political party
Islam further explained that JNP aims to build a new Bangladesh by honouring the aspirations stemming from the struggles between 1947 and 2024. Islam outlined JNP’s objective of creating a “Second Republic“, for which a new constitution and constituent assembly would be necessary. “We believe the formation of a new republic requires a new constitution, and we are working toward that goal,” he said. Currently, JNP’s primary focus is to expand grassroots presence and fulfill necessary conditions for registration of the party.
On the issue of accountability, Islam called for the prosecution of those involved in killings over the last 15 years. “Awami League’s political verdict must be determined through the judicial process on the soil of Bangladesh,” he said.