National Consensus Commission (NCC) Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz announced on Sunday that all political parties have agreed to ensure public participation in implementing the “July National Charter, 2025” through a referendum. Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Riaz confirmed that the political parties had reached a consensus on this key issue during their discussions with the NCC, reports BSS.
The meeting was attended by key NCC members, including Justice Md Emdadul Haque, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder, and Dr. Md Ayub Mia, along with Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, Monir Haider.
Professor Riaz described the agreement as the first major step by political parties towards the practical implementation of the July National Charter. He expressed optimism that this would pave the way for further consensus on other critical issues, particularly those related to constitutional and electoral reforms.
“The political parties have agreed to form a legislative assembly through the February elections and make lasting reforms in accordance with the July National Charter,” he said, highlighting the collaborative efforts of all political parties involved. He thanked them for their commitment to building national consensus, especially on such a pivotal issue.
Riaz also emphasized that the NCC would soon prepare specific recommendations based on these discussions, which will be submitted to the government for further action.
During the talks, some political representatives suggested seeking the Supreme Court's opinion on Article 106 of the Constitution regarding the Charter’s implementation. However, Riaz noted that the majority of parties felt this step may not be necessary, as most believe the process can proceed without judicial intervention.
The meeting was attended by representatives of 28 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens' Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gana Sanghati, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Biplobi Workers Party, and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party.
This milestone reflects growing political unity around the July National Charter and could be a turning point in Bangladesh’s democratic and constitutional reforms.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
