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Amendment empowered people: PM

Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told parliament that her
government has ensured "empowerment of people, and their democratic and voting rights” through passage of the much-talked-about constitution
amendment bill in the House.
“People had to suffer a lot in the past. But they will not suffer in the future, as we have been able to ensure people's empowerment through passage of the constitution amendment bill,” Hasina, also chief of ruling Awami League, said in an instant reaction after the passage of the 15th amendment to the constitution.
The caretaker government system has become void through the bill's passage, and from now on, parliamentary polls will be held the way it is done in other democratic countries, she said.
“And it is the Election
Commission that will conduct the polls.”
Hasina, also the leader of the House, said the opposition can still come to parliament with a proposal and place it before the House.
In her half-an-hour speech, Hasina requested the opposition several times to refrain from creating any chaos over the issue, which may cause sufferings to people.
Referring to the union parishad polls being held under her government, the prime minister said most of those who died in election violence were ruling party activists.
She also defended the
government's stance on sensitive issues such as retaining Islam as the state religion, and Bismillahir-Rahmanir Rahim in the charter, Bangalee identity as a nation, and Bangladeshis as citizens.
“We took part in the Liberation War as Bangalees, but we will be identified as Bangladeshis when it comes to citizenship," said the prime minister.
“Minority communities are also part of our nation. We do not want to hurt their sentiment," she said.
On the process of the amendment, Hasina said it was done maintaining transparency and accountability.
“The parliamentary spe-
cial committee on constitution amendment invited different political parties, civil society members, former chief justices, eminent jurists and media personalities to bounce ideas off each other. But BNP did not join the dialogue," she said.
On retaining Islam as the state religion, Hasina said alongside Islam, other religions have been given due respect and equal rights through the amendment, as people irrespective of their religious faith fought and achieved independence in 1971.
Pointing to the opposition, Hasina quoted from Sura al-Imran, and said, “If you have faith in the holy Quran and the blessings of Almighty Allah, you may come to power, otherwise not.”
Earlier, the Awami League Parliamentary Party had held a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at 10:30am before the House sat at 11:30am.
The lawmakers were given instructions on the vote on the constitution amendment bill.
After the meeting, Hasina and Jatiya Party President HM Ershad held a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Ershad assured Hasina of cooperation and support for the passage of the constitution amendment bill, said Jatiya Party sources.
The JP chief later sat with party lawmakers at the Jatiya Party office in the parliament building, and asked them not to talk against the bill, the sources said.
Meanwhile, lawmakers of Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal submitted more than 35 amendment notices on several issues including those against retaining Islam as the state religion and Bismillahir-Rahmanir Rahim in the constitution. They also placed amendment notices on issues related to minority communities.
However, no Jatiya Party lawmaker submitted any amendment notice on any of those issues.