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Published : 03 Jun 2025, 03:36 PM
National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz says the “July Charter” will be formed based on a “minimum consensus” due to the limited time left.
Riaz provided the update during his opening remarks at the National Consensus Commission meeting with political parties on Tuesday.
“Through discussions, we have reached a particular point. We have to draw some kind of conclusion because, considering the lack of time, we have to decide what will and will not be included in the charter that we want to finalise by July,” he said.
“The issues that were not agreed to -- on which there was no consensus -- will be documented as discussed but not be agreed upon. Our discussion today focuses on shaping that framework. We hope that we will be able to move forward in preparing the national charter that we are aiming for.”
The topic discussed at the meeting included Article 70 of the Constitution, reserved seats for women in parliamentary, standing committees and the term and scope of the mandate to be given to a caretaker government, according to him.
“From a structural standpoint, we must remember what the original proposal was. There were original proposals from the Constitutional Reform Commission and the Election Reform Commission, but those evolved through discussions. We will see where the changes take us and then reach a decision based on that.”
The Consensus Commission vice chairman added, “We may not agree on everything, but maybe we can come to a consensus in some cases.”
Riaz said that no further meetings in the second phase of talks will be held before Eid. Discussions will resume after the Eid holidays.
The National Consensus Commission has begun the second round of discussion with 30 political parties over the recommendations on constitutional reforms.
The closed-door meeting started at 11:30am at the Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday.
BNP leader Ismail Zabiullah, Jatiya Gonofront's Tipu Biswas, Khilafat Majlis’s Ahmed Abdul Kader, Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party's Saiful Haque, Ganasanghati Andolon leader Zonayed Saki, AB Party's Mojibur Rahman Monju, National Republic Party leader Sarbis Alam, Labour Party's Mostafizur Rahman, LDP's Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, BLDP's Shahdat Hossain Selim, and Islami Andolon Bangladesh leader Ashraf Ali Akon are among those in attendance.
Riaz is presiding over the meeting with commission members Badiul Alam Mazumdar, Ayub Mia, Safar Raj Hossain, retired justices Emdadul Haque, and Iftekharruzzaman.
National Consensus Commission Chairman and Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus inaugurated the second phase of the dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy on Monday.
