NCC proposes granting President authority to appoint military, intelligence chiefs

The National Consensus Commission has proposed that the President should be granted the authority to appoint the chiefs of the three armed forces, Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the Directors General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence (NSI).

Discussions on this proposal began on Thursday afternoon as the commission held a meeting with political parties to seek consensus on the matter.

Following a meeting with the parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Wednesday, the commission’s Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz said a concept paper outlining the proposed powers and responsibilities of the President had been shared with political parties.

Under the current constitution, the President can only appoint the Prime Minister and Chief Justice without the advice of the Prime Minister.

However, the commission has proposed extending the President’s independent authority to include appointments to the following positions: the Attorney General, Chairman and Members of the National Human Rights Commission, Chairman and Members of the Information Commission, Chairman of the Bangladesh Press Council, Chairman of the Law Commission, Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Chairman and Members of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Chairman and Members of the Energy Regulatory Commission, and Chairman and Members of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

If consensus is reached on these proposals, the changes will be formalised through a constitutional amendment, Prof Ali Riaz said.