Second Republic (Bangladesh)

Second Republic () is an idea initiated by the National Citizen Party (NCP) which is also described as the party's stated primary vision. The first step of achieving the Second Republic is to write a new constitution based on democratic principles which will be drafted by an elected constituent assembly. NCP argues that the current Constitution of Bangladesh fosters "constitutional autocracy" which needs to be dismantled.
Background
In July 2024, the Students Against Discrimination led the quota reform movement with a goal to reform the quota system in the government jobs in Bangladesh. By August, the movement transformed into a mass uprising which came to be known as the July Revolution that eventually led to the dissolution of the incumbent Sheikh Hasina-led government.
In October 2024, Students Against Discrimination and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee announced their Five-Point Demands which included abolishing the 1972 Constitution, removing president Mohammed Shahabuddin, banning Bangladesh Chhatra League, invalidating the last three general elections and proclaiming a new republic. In November, they proposed drafting the outlines for the second republic through forming an all-party council, although other political parties did not show any interest. According to Professor Dilara Choudhury, the second republic would a new political arrangement by abrogating the national constitution. She argues that the current republic, which was established after the Liberation War, "has proven ineffective and failed to meet the aspirations of the people".
Historian Mohiuddin Ahmad, however, believes that the idea of second republic of Bangladesh "has not been clearly articulated" and called for an amendment of the constitution instead of its abrogation.<ref name="TBT" />
Reactions
Representatives from the Students Against Discrimination held meetings with 30 political parties in Bangladesh to discuss the formation of Second Republic. 26 of them, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party opposed the idea while 4, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, showed "principled support".<ref name="TBT" />

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