[🇧🇩] Consensus Commission.

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Consensus commission to decide on Chief Adviser appointment amid unresolved disputes

The National Consensus Commission announced on Tuesday that it will make the final decision on appointing the chief adviser to the proposed caretaker government, following a failure among political parties to reach a full consensus. The announcement came after a day-long round of discussions held

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Consensus commission to decide on Chief Adviser appointment amid unresolved disputes

FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
Jul 29, 2025 20:48
Updated :
Jul 29, 2025 20:48

The National Consensus Commission announced on Tuesday that it will make the final decision on appointing the chief adviser to the proposed caretaker government, following a failure among political parties to reach a full consensus.

The announcement came after a day-long round of discussions held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Vice-Chairman of the Commission, Professor Ali Riaz, told reporters that although three-fourths of the political parties agreed to the commission’s proposed reforms to the caretaker government system, some key disagreements remain unresolved.

“The commission has presented a revised and integrated proposal based on feedback from various political parties,” Prof Riaz said.

He noted that while there is no disagreement over the formation of a five-member selection committee, discussions remain deadlocked on whether to implement ranked-choice voting. Several parties, including the BNP, have expressed differing views on this matter.

“The commission will deliberate further on this issue and make a decision,” he added.

Prof Riaz highlighted that a broad consensus was achieved on many points during the initial phase of dialogue held between March and May.

However, some issues have resurfaced during the second phase of discussions.

He said that a comprehensive list of consensus points from the first phase will be circulated to the political parties on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a draft of the proposed national charter has already been sent to political parties, with instructions to submit their feedback by Wednesday afternoon. Prof Riaz expressed optimism that consensus on the draft would be achieved by 31 July.

Addressing the issue of women's representation in parliament, Prof Riaz said most political parties agree on increasing the number of reserved seats for women to 100. While disagreements remain on the selection method, the current 50 seats will remain in place. He noted significant progress toward consensus on implementing the expansion in phases and expects a formal written agreement by Wednesday.

Tuesday’s discussion also covered provisions regarding the appointment of a non-partisan caretaker government, the Auditor General and Controller, and the establishment of an Ombudsman.

Representatives from 30 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizens Party (NCP), participated in the talks.​

 

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NCC proposes granting President authority to appoint military, intelligence chiefs

The National Consensus Commission has proposed that the President should be granted the authority to appoint the chiefs of the three armed forces, Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the Directors General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

NCC proposes granting President authority to appoint military, intelligence chiefs

FE Online Desk
Published :
Jul 31, 2025 18:53
Updated :
Jul 31, 2025 18:53

The National Consensus Commission has proposed that the President should be granted the authority to appoint the chiefs of the three armed forces, Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the Directors General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence (NSI).

Discussions on this proposal began on Thursday afternoon as the commission held a meeting with political parties to seek consensus on the matter.

Following a meeting with the parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Wednesday, the commission’s Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz said a concept paper outlining the proposed powers and responsibilities of the President had been shared with political parties.

Under the current constitution, the President can only appoint the Prime Minister and Chief Justice without the advice of the Prime Minister.

However, the commission has proposed extending the President’s independent authority to include appointments to the following positions: the Attorney General, Chairman and Members of the National Human Rights Commission, Chairman and Members of the Information Commission, Chairman of the Bangladesh Press Council, Chairman of the Law Commission, Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Chairman and Members of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Chairman and Members of the Energy Regulatory Commission, and Chairman and Members of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

If consensus is reached on these proposals, the changes will be formalised through a constitutional amendment, Prof Ali Riaz said.​

 

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Consensus reached on 19 key reform issues: Ali Riaz

The second round of talks between political parties and the National Consensus Commission on formulating a national charter has concluded, said Vice-Chairman Professor Dr Ali Riaz. He confirmed consensus was achieved on 19 major reform issues. Speaking to reporters on Thursday (31 July), Riaz note

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Consensus reached on 19 key reform issues: Ali Riaz

FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Jul 31, 2025 23:57
Updated :
Jul 31, 2025 23:57

The second round of talks between political parties and the National Consensus Commission on formulating a national charter has concluded, said Vice-Chairman Professor Dr Ali Riaz. He confirmed consensus was achieved on 19 major reform issues.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday (31 July), Riaz noted that over 23 days, the Commission engaged with more than 30 parties. Of the 166 reform proposals initially tabled, 19 core topics were prioritised, according to local media reports.

These included Article 70, parliamentary committee leadership, constituency boundaries, presidential clemency, judicial decentralisation, emergency powers, constitutional amendments, and electoral systems. While most parties agreed, some, including BNP and left-leaning groups, submitted notes of dissent on specific matters such as women's representation, the formation of an upper house, and the President’s authority.

Riaz emphasised that the talks concluded in a cordial environment and a complete draft of the national charter would soon be shared with political parties for review and implementation guidance.​