Panel will disclose both points of consensus and disagreement: Ali Riaz

In the interest of transparency, the National Consensus Commission will disclose not only the issues on which political parties have reached consensus, but also the ones where no agreement was achieved, according to its Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz.

He made the remarks on Sunday during a dialogue with civil society representatives at Dhaka's Krishibid Institution.

Referring to the ongoing dialogues with political parties, Riaz said that while consensus has been reached on some fundamental issues, there are other key areas where agreement was not possible.

“Due to the ideological differences among political parties, disagreements are natural. Reaching consensus on every issue is not realistic,” he said.

“We invited you [civil society members] here because we value the perspectives of civil society. Through this discussion, we hope to receive your advice regarding our activities.”

Riaz continued, “We will disclose the issues on which political consensus has been achieved. And we will also share the areas where consensus could not be reached for the sake of transparency and to help the public make informed decisions about future political processes.”

“We believe this is extremely important. That belief is guiding our current efforts, and in this, your feedback will be of great value.”

The commission will strive to ensure that the opinions expressed during its discussions with stakeholders are reflected not only in the formulation of a National Charter but also in the accompanying report, according to Riaz.

Emphasising the importance of engaging with civil society, Riaz said: “We have repeatedly said that discussions with political parties alone are not enough to build national consensus. A shared understanding within civil society is also essential. Therefore, there is no scope to exclude the active participation of civil society from any reform initiative.”