Year
2025
Reform Domain
Anti Corruption
Sub Domain
Institutional Independence
Source of Reform Proposals
Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission Report
Reform Proposed
Reform Initiated
Legal and Policy Framework
Operationalisation
Action Implementation
Stage of Implementation
Reform Proposed
Last Update: 14-Feb-25
This reform proposal, articulated in the Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission Report, was officially initiated.
Reform Initiated
Last Update: 20-Jul-26
This reform proposal is included in the July Charter. It is proposed that the Anti-Corruption Commission be accorded constitutional status through the creation of a "Selection and Review Committee". Twenty-three negotiating political parties and alliances agreed to this proposal. Seven political parties and alliances submitted notes of dissent, namely the 12-Party Alliance, Amjanatar Dal, Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Andolan (NDM), Jatiyatabadi Samomona Jote (Nationalist Like-minded Alliance), Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Labour Party, and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The implementation of this proposal necessitates an amendment to the Constitution; consequently, its future will depend on the deliberations of the 13th National Parliament. A special committee on constitutional reforms was established on 13 July 2026 during the second session of Parliament. This committee is tasked with delineating a comprehensive pathway for enacting all reform proposals that require constitutional amendments, including the proposal in question.
Observation
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The Special Committee on Constitutional Reforms was constituted with 17 members of Parliament as members of whom are to be, 12 from the treasury bench and 5 from the opposition parties in the 13th Parliament. However, the opposition parties are yet to send their nominations. It may be recalled that the Interim Government had earlier issued the July Charter Implementation Order, which envisaged the formation of a Constitution Reform Council comprising all members of the newly elected Parliament. This Council would be mandated to deliberate on 48 proposed constitutional amendments. A referendum on these proposals was held concurrently with the national parliamentary elections, in which the "Yes" option secured an overwhelming majority. The Constitutional Reform Council was expected to convene its first meeting within 30 days of the announcement of the election results. The ruling political party, BNP, has instead expressed a preference for pursuing constitutional reforms through Parliament rather than through the proposed Council. While 77 MPs from the Jamaat-led alliance took the oath as members of the proposed Council, BNP and its allied elected lawmakers, along with a number of independent MPs, did not do so, citing the absence of any constitutional provision for such a body. On 29 April, the government instead proposed the formation of the aforesaid Special Parliamentary Committee. How the constitutional reforms will play out will need to be seen in future.
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