The National Consensus Commission has proposed that the President of Bangladesh be granted direct authority to appoint the heads of the three armed forces and the two principal intelligence agencies — a shift that would significantly enhance the executive powers of the presidency in national security and institutional governance.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment
The recommendation involves amending Article 48(3) of the Fourth Part, Chapter One of the Constitution. Currently, under Article 48(3), the President is required to act on the advice of the Prime Minister in all matters, except in appointing the Prime Minister and Chief Justice.
However, the commission’s draft amendment seeks to broaden the President’s scope of autonomous authority, enabling them to make several key appointments independently, without requiring the Prime Minister’s recommendation.
Areas Proposed for Direct Presidential Execution
According to the proposed amendment, the President would act independently in the following appointments:
| Position/Institution | Current Practice | Proposed Change |
| Attorney General | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman & Members – National Human Rights Commission | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman & Members – Information Commission | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman – Bangladesh Press Council | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman – Law Commission | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Governor – Bangladesh Bank | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman & Members – University Grants Commission (UGC) | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman & Members – Energy Regulatory Commission | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chairman & Members – Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Chiefs – Army, Navy, and Air Force | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Director General – Defence Intelligence Directorate (DGFI) | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
| Director General – National Security Intelligence (NSI) | On PM’s advice | President to appoint directly |
Rationale and Political Implication
The commission believes that if political consensus is reached among the parties, then it would be feasible to initiate constitutional and legal amendments accordingly.
“If enacted, this proposal would strengthen the President’s role in key state functions, especially in strategic and security-related appointments,” the commission noted.
Such a shift could alter the balance of executive power, reducing the current Prime Minister-centric model and establishing a more independent presidential authority in state affairs.
The proposal is expected to spark intense debate across political and legal circles, as it touches on the core principles of democratic power distribution and institutional checks and balances in Bangladesh’s governance framework.
