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Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has proposed that the interim government implement legislation to prevent party leaders from being appointed as the head of government in the country's democratic system.
"A person can't be prime minister, party chief, and parliamentary leader simultaneously to run activities of parliamentary and executive division neutral and free of conflicts," said its executive director.
The organisation also recommended capping the tenure of a prime minister at a maximum of two terms.
TIB's executive director, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, presented these proposals at a press conference held on Wednesday titled "New Bangladesh: The Role of the Interim Government in Establishing Democracy, Good Governance, and Preventing Corruption," at the TIB auditorium in Dhaka.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman also emphasised amending Article 70 to allow parliament members to vote against their own party's decision in parliament.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman proposed a series of reforms aimed at strengthening democracy, promoting good governance, and preventing corruption.
He urged ensuring reforms in political parties, including abolishing family hierarchical politics, electing leaders democratically within political parties, financial transparency, etc. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman suggested that the Speaker should operate independently, free from party influence, and oversee all parliamentary activities.
He further recommended that the Deputy Speaker should be elected from the opposition party.
To prevent conflicts of interest within parliamentary standing committees, Dr Iftekharuzzaman proposed that at least 50 per cent of the chairs of key parliamentary standing committees be selected from opposition members.
TIB advocated for the introduction of a non-partisan interim government system to supervise national parliamentary operations.
To promote diverse representation, TIB advocates for political parties to nominate parliamentary candidates from a range of groups, including youth, women, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized communities.
Specifically, they suggest that at least one-third of candidates should come from the youth sector.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, TIB's executive director, emphasized the critical need to hold accountable those responsible for severe human rights violations and to uphold the integrity of the judicial process.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman said reforms should be brought out in the judiciary, including the separation of execution from judiciary and a separate secretariat for the judiciary.
He stressed that the unprecedented sacrifice and bloodshed that led to the fall of the authoritarian regime through the student movement must not be in vain.
"It is crucial to ensure that one authoritarian regime is not replaced by another, as this would fail to meet the expectations of the students," he said. In response to a question during the press conference, Dr Iftekharuzzaman mentioned that funds smuggled abroad could be recovered through proper procedures and communication with the relevant countries. He criticised the previous government for failing to follow due process, which hindered the return of these funds.
Regarding the implementation of the recommendations presented, he said it is not possible to determine how long it will take the interim government to act on them, but they should be given the time necessary to meet the people's expectations.
He noted the government's indication of potential UN involvement in these matters and suggested that discussions would likely focus on identifying and holding accountable those responsible for the killings.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman acknowledged that the interim government has only been in place for 20 days and cannot be judged too quickly.
He pointed out that there is still chaos in the judicial process, particularly in the prosecution of cases, and it remains to be seen whether the current approach is protecting those directly responsible for the murders.
The path to achieving the students' goals is still distant, and the interim government must remain above electoral interests. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman concluded by expressing sympathy for the interim government, acknowledging that they do not have a "magic wand" to quickly change the existing political culture.
TIB calls for the investigation and exemplary punishment of those involved in extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and other human rights violations, as well as irregularities, corruption, and abuse of power by law enforcement agencies, including those that occurred during the student movement.
To combat irregularities and money laundering, TIB emphasises the need to ensure the independence and capability of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
They propose forming a permanent task force that includes the ACC, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Attorney General's office.
They also call for the abolition of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC), which they describe as a tool for human rights abuses. Furthermore, they advocate for exemplary punishment for those involved in loan fraud, financial irregularities, and corruption within the banking sector.
The press conference, held at TIB's auditorium in the capital's Midas Centre, was also attended by TIB Executive Management Advisor Sumaiya Khair, Director of the Research and Policy Department Mohammad Badiuzzaman, Senior Research Fellows Shahzada M. Akram and Mohammad Zulkarnain, and Director of the Publicity and Communication Department Mohammad Tauhidul Islam.