At a recent event in Dhaka, Interim Government Law Advisor Professor Asif Nazrul announced that drafting a new constitution could take two to three years. Speaking at the International Mother Language Institute on Sunday, May 11, he pointed to international examples where constitution-making processes extended over nearly a decade.
Nazrul stated, “Neighboring countries have taken 8–9 years to complete their constitutions. Should we continue under the 1972 constitution until the new one is finalized?” He further explained that the current parliament would serve as a constitutional assembly in the meantime, introducing necessary amendments to the existing 1972 framework.
He emphasized that the parliament could only allocate limited time—perhaps two sessions a week—for constitutional work. “Expecting the process to be done in just 90 days is unrealistic,” he said.
Commenting on the July Charter, Nazrul noted, “There is too much expectation from it. It’s unlikely all its proposals will be included in the new constitution. Perhaps only its fundamental principles will be incorporated.”
His remarks have sparked widespread backlash on social media, where critics accuse the interim government of using constitution drafting as a pretext to delay elections.
Political analyst Professor Shariful Haque commented, “Dr. Yunus’s interim government is using excuses—from banning the Awami League to rewriting the constitution—to cling to power, push Western agendas, and undermine our national sovereignty.
