National Consensus Commission formed by the interim government wants to abolish Article 4A of the Constitution

The National Consensus Commission formed by the interim government is considering a proposal to abolish Article 4(a) of the Constitution regarding the display of portraits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in government and private institutions. The commission said that the issue of including this proposal in the upcoming 'July National Charter 2025' is under consideration. To this end, the commission has sent a letter to political parties seeking their opinions.

The letter was sent to political parties and alliances on Thursday under the signature of the commission's vice-president, Professor Ali Riaz. The letter states, "The meeting with political parties and alliances on the formulation and implementation of the July Charter 2025 has concluded. At this stage, the commission is considering the issue of including the proposal to abolish the obligation to display portraits of Bangabandhu under Article 4(a) of the Constitution in the national charter."

The letter further states that political parties have been requested to send their written opinions to the commission's email or WhatsApp number by 4 pm on Saturday (October 11). If necessary, the opportunity to contact the commission directly for additional information has also been provided.

When asked about this, the chairman of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party said that they have received the commission's letter, but have not yet given a formal opinion. He said, "We are reviewing the matter seriously. A party-level discussion is required before giving an opinion on any change to the constitution."

After coming to power in 2009, the Awami League government passed the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution on June 30, 2011. Through this amendment, a new article—4(a)—under the title "Portrait of the Father of the Nation" was added to the first part of the constitution. That article states, “The portrait of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, shall be preserved and displayed in the offices of the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and Chief Justice and in all government and semi-government offices, autonomous institutions, head and branch offices of statutory government authorities, government and private educational institutions, and Bangladesh embassies and missions abroad.” This article makes the display of Bangabandhu’s portrait constitutionally mandatory.

After the publication of this proposal by the Consensus Commission, intense discussions have started in political circles. Many see it as “against the spirit of the Constitution”, while some say that the display of state symbols and homage should be made optional instead of mandatory. According to constitutional experts, if this proposal is implemented, it will be one of the biggest changes in the Constitution related to the preservation of Bangabandhu’s legacy.

The Consensus Commission has said that after collecting the opinions of political parties, the draft of the 'July National Charter 2025' will be finalized, which will be used as the main basis for the interim government's constitutional reforms. Political observers believe that this proposal has started a new debate on state symbols, history and ideology.