The government plans to pass a bill to amend the Constitution during the first session of Parliament next year, with another referendum to be held afterwards on the proposed fundamental changes.The decision was discussed at the third meeting of the special committee formed to review constitutional amendments at the Cabinet Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday.Editors, senior journalists and representatives of journalist organisations attended the meeting and shared their views on various aspects of the proposed amendments. The meeting began at 2:30pm and continued until around 5:15pm.After the meeting, Daily Desh Rupantor Editor Mustafiz Shafi told reporters that the committee had informed them that a referendum would be held after the Constitution is amended.According to Shafi, committee chairman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the Constitution provides for a referendum when fundamental changes are proposed. As the planned amendments would bring fundamental changes, another referendum would therefore be required, he said, describing it as a constitutional referendum.The committee expects the constitutional amendment bill to be passed during the first session of Parliament next year. Efforts are underway to finalise the bill after taking opinions from different stakeholders, the meeting was told.Journalists at the meeting called for constitutional amendments based on national consensus. They also urged the government to ensure the participation of the opposition in the committee's discussions by taking them into confidence.Shafi said the committee responded that it would make every possible effort to bring the opposition to the meetings. However, even if the opposition does not join the committee or submit its views there, the committee hopes they will participate in parliamentary discussions when the amendment bill is placed before the House.Around 50 editors and senior journalists attended the meeting, Shafi said. In his opening remarks, Salahuddin Ahmed said journalists had been invited because the committee wanted to give due importance to their views and ensure that those views played a meaningful role in the constitutional amendment process.The issue of balancing the powers of the prime minister and the president also came up for discussion. According to Shafi, journalists argued that the extensive and concentrated powers vested in the prime minister had not served the state and the nation well.They suggested that the constitutional amendment process should address this issue to help the country move beyond its past experiences.Journalists also stressed that constitutional reform should be a matter of national consensus. As the opposition is currently not part of the committee and its views have not been obtained, they urged the government to make every effort to include it in the process. The committee chairman expressed his commitment to continuing efforts to bring the opposition on board and said he hoped they would cooperate when the proposed amendments are placed before Parliament.