What experts, politicians have said about changing the constitution

Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, Bangladesh's Constitution – which went through wholesale reforms in the past decade and a half – has been brought under the radar.

Reforms are the call of the day, but what kind of reforms? We take a look at what has been said on this issue so far.

Ali Riaz, head of the Bangladesh Constitutional Reform Commission (29 August)

"The Constitution needs to be rewritten because amending the current one is extremely challenging. A significant portion, nearly one-third, is embedded in the basic structure and cannot be altered. There are elements within it that are untouchable, regardless of the circumstances. This is why the discussion on rewriting the constitution has gained momentum."

Sarah Hossan, senior lawyer of Supreme Court

"While dismantling existing structures [the Constitution] may seem straightforward, creating something new is far more challenging…It is not enough to create something that is merely permanent; it must also be adaptable and capable of ongoing improvement. Additionally, we still retain the death penalty. In considering reform, we must examine both societal norms and practices, not just the functions of institutions."

Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser (12 September)

"We cannot do [make constitutional reforms] anything without a consensus because our strength comes from the consensus. If we can establish a consensus, we will go ahead and do that."

Md Asaduzzaman, attorney general (12 September)

"Under Article 70 [of the Constitution], members of parliament are prohibited from crossing the floor, meaning no lawmaker can express their opinion independently of the party's decision in parliament. As a result, the legislative, administrative, and judicial functions in Bangladesh have been concentrated in the hands of one person. Personally, I believe the article needs to be amended."

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP secretary general (21 September)

"Any reforms must be done within the framework of the current Constitution. My personal opinion is that any change to the Constitution requires consultation with the people. Another thing is that a few experts can draft it, but for fundamental changes or creating a new constitution, a constituent assembly is required."

Hasnat Abdullah, coordinator Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (23 October)

"Political parties have to clarify their stance on whether they support or oppose the Mujib-era 1972 Constitution…If we discard the 1972 Constitution and draft a new one, that constitution will reflect the aspirations of the people."

Md Nahid Islam, Information and Broadcasting adviser (23 October)

"The Constitution has become obsolete due to the July-August uprising."

Mia Golam Parwar, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general (26 October)

"No revolution in history has adhered to constitutional frameworks. Similarly, the revolution sparked by the student and public movement in Bangladesh during July-August period did not follow constitutional guidelines."