[🇧🇩] Consensus Commission.

Saif · Feb 4, 2025

Consensus commission’s first meeting in mid-Feb
6 commissions may submit full reports on February 8

Photo: BSS

The National Consensus Commission headed by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will start discussions with the political parties and stakeholders of the 2024 uprising in mid-February.

The date of the first meeting would be fixed in consultation with the political parties and stakeholders of the uprising, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said yesterday after Prof Yunus held a meeting with the chiefs of six reform commissions.

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The six commissions are expected to submit their full reports on February 8. 8, after which their recommendations will be sent to the political parties for their consideration, according to Asif Nazrul.

He said the first meeting would be presided over by Prof Yunus at the Foreign Service Academy. The government hopes to continue the talks in Ramadan if possible, he added.

Saif · Feb 13, 2025

Nat’l commission formed to build political consensus for reforms

The interim government has formed a seven-member ‘national consensus commission’ in a bid to build a consensus of political parties and forces on the recommendations submitted by six reform commissions.

www.newagebd.net

Nat’l commission formed to build political consensus for reforms
Staff Correspondent 13 February, 2025, 16:04

Professor Muhammad Yunus | File photo

The interim government has formed a seven-member ‘national consensus commission’ in a bid to build a consensus of political parties and forces on the recommendations submitted by six reform commissions.

The commission headed by chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus would begin work on February 15, a circular issued by the cabinet division Wednesday evening said.

Constitution reform commission chief Professor Ali Riaz was made the vice-president of the newly formed commission while public administration reform commission chief Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, police reform commission chief Safar Raj Hossain, electoral reform commission chief Badiul Alam Majumder, judiciary reform commission member Justice Emdadul Hoque and Anti-Corruption Commission reform commission chief Iftekharuzzaman were made members of the Yunus-led commission.

According to the circular, the national consensus commission, within its six-month tenure, would hold discussions with political parties and forces and reach a consensus on reforms in electoral, police activities, judiciary, public administration, constitution, and anti-corruption drives.

‘The goal of the national consensus commission is to prepare a national charter agreed by the majority of the country’s political parties,’ said Ali Riaz on Thursday, while addressing a press conference on behalf of the constitution reform commission at Parliament premises in Dhaka.

The constitution reform commission chief said that the basis of the discussions would be the six reform commissions’ recommendations that were made public on February 8.

Replying to a question on what would be the immediate measures for the reforms in the constitution, he said that the constitution would be reformed step-by-step, instead of piecemeal solutions, following discussions with political parties.

The constitution reform commission recommended pluralism as one of the state’s fundamental principles and, Ali Riaz, as the commission chief, reminded that the state’s responsibility was to recognise and accommodate a maximum number of diversified thoughts, beliefs and views that exist in the country.

Regarding the recommendations for keeping state religion and, at the same time, pluralism in the constitution, he said, ‘The commission members had divided opinions about state religion. But we still considered going with it because of the contemporary political trends and feedback from the majority of political parties and common people.’

He said that they recommended lowering the eligibility age for contesting parliamentary elections from 25 years to 21 years to encourage young people to participate in policymaking.

Ali Riaz said that the constitution reform commission recommended a national constitutional council to ensure the accountability of both the treasury and opposition parties and to prevent autocracy in the future.

Constitution reform commission members Dhaka University’s law teachers Professor Sumaiya Khair and Professor Muhammad Ekramul Haque, lawyers Imran Siddique, Sharif Bhuiyan and Moin Alam Ferozi and writers Firoz Ahmed Md Mustahin Billah were also present.

Saif · Feb 14, 2025

Consensus commission's first meeting with political parties tomorrow

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will hold the first of possibly many meetings with the political parties tomorrow (February 15) as part of interim government's efforts to build national consensus ahead of the next national election.

www.thedailystar.net

Consensus commission's first meeting with political parties tomorrow

File photo: STAR

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will hold the first of possibly many meetings with the political parties tomorrow (February 15) as part of interim government's efforts to build national consensus ahead of the next national election.

The first meeting of the national consensus-building commission, to be chaired by Prof Yunus, will be held from 3:00pm-5.30pm at the Foreign Service Academy, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir told UNB today.

The chief adviser will deliver a speech at the meeting, he said.

Earlier, the government formed a seven-member National Consensus Commission to review and adopt the recommendations submitted by the six key reform commissions.

The members of the new commission are Prof Ali Riaz, head of the Constitutional Reform Commission; Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, head of Public Administration Reform Commission; Safar Raj Hossain, head of Police Reform Commission; Badiul Alam Majumder, head of Election Reform Commission; Justice Emdadul Haque, head of Judiciary Reform Commission; and Dr Iftekharuzzaman, head of Anti-Corruption Reform Commission.

The commission will operate for six months starting from tomorrow (February 15).

Saif · Feb 14, 2025

BNP to attend first meeting of National Consensus Commission

A BNP delegation, led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will attend the meeting, BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan said today.

www.thedailystar.net

BNP to attend first meeting of National Consensus Commission

The BNP will participate in the first meeting of the National Consensus Commission tomorrow at 3:00pm.

The meeting will be chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and will take place at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in Dhaka.

A BNP delegation, led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will attend the meeting, BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan said today.

Representatives from other political parties are also expected to participate.

On Thursday, the government formed a seven-member National Consensus Commission to review and adopt the recommendations submitted by the six key reform commissions.

The Cabinet Division announced the formation of the commission in a notification. Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus had earlier said he would lead this commission.

The members of the new commission are Prof Ali Riaz, head of the Constitutional Reform Commission; Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, head of Public Administration Reform Commission; Safar Raj Hossain, head of Police Reform Commission; Badiul Alam Majumder, head of Election Reform Commission; Justice Emdadul Haque, head of Judiciary Reform Commission; and Dr Iftekharuzzaman, head of Anti-Corruption Reform Commission.

The commission will operate for six months after commencing its work on February 15. Following its deliberations, the commission will submit recommendations for necessary actions. Its primary mandate is to engage with political parties and stakeholders of the 2024 uprising to build a national consensus on reforms related to elections, public administration, the judiciary, anti-corruption measures, and police activities.

The Chief Adviser's Office will manage the commission's secretarial duties, while the government will determine the commission's office location.

Saif · Feb 15, 2025

National charter likely to be prepared in six months

The interim government will prepare a ‘national charter’ within six months based on the national consensus on reforms among the political parties.

www.newagebd.net

National charter likely to be prepared in six months
Staff Correspondent 15 February, 2025, 23:55

The National Consensus Commission holds its first meeting, chaired by chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Saturday. | Star Mail photo

Some political parties demand national election first, ban of AL

The interim government will prepare a ‘national charter’ within six months based on the national consensus on reforms among the political parties.

Besides, the National Consensus Commission will hold a series of dialogues with political parties to finalise the ‘national charter’.

The decisions were taken at the first meeting between the National Consensus Commission and political parties and alliances on Saturday.

The meeting was held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka with the commission’s head and chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair, sources present in the meeting said.

Around 100 politicians from 27 political parties and alliances, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Jatiya Nagarik Committee and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, attended the meeting.

Leaders of most of the political parties at the meeting urged the interim government not to hold local government elections before the national election.

They also urged for holding the next national election after necessary reforms.

Some of the parties, especially Jatiya Nagarik Committee led by students, also urged the government to take measures to ban the Awami League for crimes against humanity.

National Consensus Commission vice-chairman Professor Ali Riaz told journalists that separate meetings regarding the reports of the reform commissions would be held with political parties soon.

He said that all political parties in Saturday’s meeting had agreed that there was no alternative to national unity in the current situation of the country.

He said that all the parties had even agreed to cooperate with the interim government in carrying out the reform programs. ‘We think that the responsibility of each of the political parties is to take our reform programs forward,’ he said.

‘We want to reach a consensus as soon as possible through dialogues. But, since we are sending the reports of the six commissions to the political parties, they need some time to review them,’ he said.

‘We will talk to the political parties separately. We do not want to prolong the process,’ he said.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, addressing the meeting, demanded full reports of the six reform commissions and informed the meeting that their party would give opinion after conducting a study on the reports, sources present in the meeting said.

The BNP leader, after attending the meeting, said to journalists, ‘we hope that a minimum consensus on this reform will be reached very soon and that the national election, based on the consensus, will be held very soon. This is our expectation.’

In response to a question, he reiterated that they had already made it clear that the national election must be held first and local government elections will be held then.

Jatiya Nagarik Committee convener Nasiruddin Patwari said that they told the meeting that the ‘July Charter’, or the ‘national charter’, would have to be formulated through legal process.

He said that his party thought that the Constituent Assembly, national election and reforms could go together.

The people of the country will get freedom through a new constitution through the Constituent Assembly, he said.

Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary and Ganatantra Mancha coordinator Saiful Huq told New Age that they had told the interim government to continue their works on three main issues – completing some essential reforms, holding trials of the fascists, and arranging the next general election within justified time as early as possible.

‘Moreover, we proposed the interim government to form another commission to remove discriminations, especially economic discriminations,’ he added.

Hasnat Abdullah, the convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said that they had proposed to cancel the registration of the Awami League as the first step towards banning the party.

Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz, after attending the meeting, told New Age that they had proposed that the next general elections should be held as early as possible in a free, fair and credible manner for the democratic transition of the country.

SPB also demanded the publication of a white paper on the six months’ rule of the interim government, he said.

Jamaat’s nayeb-e-ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told journalists that they told the meeting that reforms were necessary and should be implemented first before the national election.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s senior presidium member Mosaddek Billah said that they suggested holding necessary reform first and holding the election through a proportional representation system and ensuring the trial of the AL before the election.

Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur said that they told the meeting that the local government election should be held quickly as the local government system remained inactive for the past six months.

Saif · Feb 15, 2025

We don’t want a prolonged process in reaching consensus: Ali Riaz

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said that efforts will be made to establish a consensus among political parties as swiftly as possible, aiming to move towards the national election. He made the remarks following a meeting of the National Consensus Commission,

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

We don’t want a prolonged process in reaching consensus: Ali Riaz
UNB
Published :
Feb 15, 2025 21:16
Updated :
Feb 15, 2025 21:16

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said that efforts will be made to establish a consensus among political parties as swiftly as possible, aiming to move towards the national election.

He made the remarks following a meeting of the National Consensus Commission, led by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, with all political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

Ali Riaz said, "Today, on behalf of the National Consensus Commission, we sat with all political parties. Our objective was to formally initiate the commission's work. We had requested political parties to send their representatives so that they could not only familiarise themselves with one another but also express their respective views."

He clarified that the meeting was not intended to serve as a dialogue but rather to discuss the framework of the commission's process. "In essence, we consider this meeting as an official inauguration. A total of 27 political parties were present today, with more than a hundred representatives from different parties and coalitions participating. Among them, 32 people spoke at the meeting," he added.

As the head of the Constitutional Reform Commission, Riaz said that political parties have strongly emphasised that there is no alternative to national unity.

"They have demonstrated their commitment to the reform process and have expressed their willingness to support, assist, and participate in the initiatives of the National Consensus Commission and the interim government," he said.

He went on to say, "This strong stance taken by political parties substantiates the remarks of Chief Adviser and Commission Head Dr Muhammad Yunus, who has said that every political party, citizen, and section of society has a responsibility to ensure the smooth progress of the reform process."

"With that objective in mind, today's meeting was convened. We are hopeful that the National Consensus Commission’s work will now commence. We will engage in separate discussions with political parties, as well as hold talks with alliances collectively. Eventually, we will reconvene everyone. We do not wish to prolong this process unnecessarily and expect to complete it within a short period. Political parties have been requested to submit hard copies of their reform reports, and we will take prompt action in this regard," he added.

About concerns over delays, Riaz asserted that there was no hesitation among political parties in achieving consensus. "We are optimistic that we will be able to advance this process effectively."

When asked about the estimated duration for concluding these discussions, he said, "The commission's tenure is six months. Our objective is to reach a consensus as soon as possible. However, since political parties will require time to review the reports of the six commissions, we aim to expedite the process while ensuring that reforms move forward and consensus is reached in preparation for the elections."

In response to whether this will be accomplished within six months, he said, "We are hopeful that it can be completed in less than the stipulated time. Political parties have expressed interest, but this will not happen abruptly. We have received the reports, and the political parties will review them thoroughly. They must be given ample time. While this will require some time, we are committed to beginning the discussions and negotiations as soon as possible."

Saif · Feb 16, 2025

National unity alone can ensure stability and desired reforms

The previous government left the country’s economy and governance system in a fragile state.

www.thedailystar.net

National unity alone can ensure stability and desired reforms

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus speaks at a views-exchange meeting with the leaders of different political parties at the capital’s Foreign Service Academy on December 4, 2024. Photo: PID

In August 2024, the chief adviser of the interim government said in his speech, "We are one family. We have one goal. We are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of our youth, and we are ready to take on this challenge." This statement reflected his concern that if national unity collapsed, the achievements of the mass uprising could be lost. That very concern is now becoming evident.

Since taking over the country's governance, the interim government has faced disruptions to public life from more than 170 movements driven by diverse vested interests. This wave of demonstrations arises from the perceived weakness of the interim administration, marked by fractured state institutions and the absence of a political party's organisational strength. Protesters have exploited this vulnerability to push their demands—some legitimate, others serving personal agendas—at a time when maintaining national unity is more critical than ever. Since independence, political parties have weaponised divisive ideologies such as the "spirit of independence," "Bengali vs Bangladeshi," and "Pro-India vs Pro-Pakistan." Although these differences are minimal in reality, they have been exaggerated to serve political agendas. This deliberate polarisation has kept Bangladesh trapped in a cycle of disunity and stagnation. Oxford development economist Paul Collier refers to such situations as a "Conflict Trap," where persistent division severely restricts a society's potential for progress. To break free from this cycle, the country's politics must prioritise public welfare over divisive narratives.

The previous government left the country's economy and governance system in a fragile state. Due to the inefficiency of state institutions and the perceived weakness of the government, the law-and-order situation has deteriorated, commodity prices have soared, and extortion has become rampant. Continuous street protests threaten to paralyse public order, further worsening an already fragile situation.

When the interim government was formed, many hoped it would steer the country towards stability. However, six months down the line, that optimism has faded. Even the chief adviser recently acknowledged growing concerns over the government's ability to manage the crisis.

Political theorists have long argued that while governments enforce laws, citizens must uphold them, and political parties should act as a bridge between the state and the people. The current crisis has revealed weaknesses in all three areas.

The interim government has taken on the responsibility of managing a weakened state, where law enforcement, the judiciary, and public administration were dismantled by previous rulers. These institutions require extensive reforms, which cannot be achieved in the short term. Given this, the government must engage in open dialogue with political parties, civil society, and key stakeholders to present a clear roadmap for necessary reforms and announce a specific date for national elections. It appears the government is moving in that direction.

The country faces severe law and order challenges due to the lack of an impartial and effective police force. Currently, the police-to-population ratio in Bangladesh is significantly inadequate. To meet effective policing standards, Bangladesh needs to recruit a substantial number of additional police personnel. However, since such an expansion cannot happen overnight, deploying other disciplined forces is necessary to manage the country's current crisis.

Military forces with expanded authority have been deployed, but their numbers remain limited for policing duties due to their primary defense responsibilities. Paramilitary groups such as the Ansars, the Village Defence Party (VDP), and the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC), along with retired military and law enforcement personnel, can play a vital role in maintaining public order. The VDP alone consists of thousands of trained individuals with strong grassroots connections, making it particularly well-suited to managing law and order in upazilas and rural areas.

Finally, the performance of the advisers within the interim government must be critically assessed. Formed hastily amid a national crisis, the government, now after six months in power, must identify and replace underperforming advisers with competent, results-driven individuals.

Political parties must move beyond verbal support and actively assist the government. While insisting on a definitive election date is logical, political parties must play an active role in resolving several critical national issues—improving law and order being one of them.

During Durga Puja, political parties played a commendable role in protecting Hindu temples. A similar model could be adopted to combat extortion, highway robbery, and the activities of teenage gangs through community policing initiatives. This would have the added benefit of increasing public support for the parties, which would help them in the next election.

Recent protests by students, bureaucrats, and labour unions have prioritised narrow interests over national stability, disrupting public life. Political parties, leveraging their networks within these groups, should mediate these grievances through constructive dialogue, ensuring short-term demands do not aggravate the current crisis.

A political party that claims broad public support must demonstrate it by actively engaging with all segments of society to improve current conditions. Failing to do so weakens its credibility and casts doubt on its ability to lead a future government. With public scrutiny at its peak, the party's actions today will significantly shape voter sentiment in upcoming elections.

Leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement played a crucial role in recent political events and must now set a clear, purposeful direction. Forming a party with government support would merely repeat past mistakes. Instead, they should prioritise a long-term vision focused on addressing the root causes of underdevelopment. The most effective reform lies in fostering a politically aware and engaged citizenry—transforming individuals into active citizens. Although this is a lengthy process, it remains the only sustainable solution.

Thus, the primary aim of a new political party formed by students should be to spearhead systemic reforms by confronting colonial-era structures that hinder effective governance. Their most significant role would be to educate grassroots communities, fostering socio-political awareness and mobilising citizens to stand against injustice, corruption, and deep-rooted misgovernance. By choosing to remain in opposition rather than pursuing power, they can serve as an effective watchdog—ensuring government accountability without becoming entangled in it. Bangladesh is at a critical juncture. The August 5 movement has highlighted the urgent need for structural reform, but achieving this will require the active participation of all stakeholders. Playing the blame game will not resolve the crisis. The country's future depends on shared responsibility, strategic reforms, and a commitment to unity. If the interim government fails, it will not be their failure alone—it will be a collective failure of the political class, civil society, and the people. Only a unified, pragmatic approach can enable Bangladesh to break free from the cycle of conflict and division. The time to act is now.

Saifur Rahman is a senior IT specialist and certified professional.

Saif · Feb 16, 2025

Time to set aside partisan interests

Building consensus on key reform proposals is the main challenge

www.thedailystar.net

Time to set aside partisan interests
Building consensus on key reform proposals is the main challenge

VISUAL: STAR

We welcome the initiation of the official process to build consensus on the proposals submitted by six key reform commissions, with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus calling it the start of the "second phase" of the interim government. Earlier, when four of the six commission reports were submitted in mid-January, Prof Yunus took a similarly upbeat view of it alluding to a "new chapter" for the nation. Indeed, the first meeting of the National Consensus Commission, attended by some 100 representatives from 26 political parties and alliances, was all about reaffirming the commitment to state reform in line with the spirit of the July uprising, as well as determining the process of consensus building. At the end of this process, there will be a charter based on discussions with political parties and civil society, which will serve as a roadmap for executing the reforms.

The significance of undertaking this process properly cannot be overstated. Prof Ali Riaz, co-chair of the seven-member consensus commission, has stated that dialogues will be held with all political parties individually and in groups, including "unofficial discussions." He also signalled that even though the commission has been given six months, their goal is to reach consensus as soon as possible. Summaries of the six reports have already been shared with political parties for review and feedback. Reportedly, there will be a methodical approach to collecting feedback. One participant at Saturday's meeting told Prothom Alo that mention was made of a website where the reform proposals would be published and political parties can mark "yes" or "no" on each, ensuring transparency and accountability in the process.

That said, we think it is important that the reform proposals are categorised based on feasibility and urgency. For example, certain proposals—such as improving electoral integrity, ensuring transparent governance, or curtailing the prime minister's powers—already enjoy broad consensus. Others—such as constitutional amendments or restructuring key institutions—may require prolonged deliberation and public endorsement. It is also essential to separate short-term, easily implementable reforms from those requiring long-term structural changes. However, the greatest challenge will be in reaching consensus on the most critical reforms. This is where political parties must demonstrate their commitment by prioritising national interests over partisan agenda.

Unfortunately, consensus-building has historically been fraught and elusive in Bangladesh's politics. When the BNP secretary general refers to a "minimum consensus" as a baseline for wrapping up this process, leading to the next elections, it further raises questions about its success. We, therefore, urge political parties to engage in the reform dialogue with the sincerity and compromise it demands, because without political buy-in and constructive engagement, even the most well-intentioned reform initiatives may falter. They must rise above their differences, partisanship, and adversarial postures for the sake of a "new Bangladesh" that truly reflects the aspirations of those who fought and sacrificed during the July uprising. The ball is in their court now.

Saif · Mar 1, 2025

Consensus commission to seek political party feedback on reform proposals

The National Consensus Commission is set to gather feedback from political parties on which reform proposals are agreed, partially agreed, and not agreed.

www.newagebd.net

Consensus commission to seek political party feedback on reform proposals
Staff Correspondent 02 March, 2025, 00:16

The National Consensus Commission is set to gather feedback from political parties on which reform proposals are agreed, partially agreed, and not agreed.

Formed on 12 February, the NCC has been tasked with drafting the national consensus charter, or July Charter, —an agreement among political parties—particularly concerning reform proposals on the constitution, electoral system, judiciary, police, public administration, and the Anti-Corruption Commission.

One of the NCC members, preferring anonymity, on Saturday told New Age that the schedule for the next NCC meeting would be finalised after collecting the political parties’ responses to reform proposals.

The chief adviser’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, replying to a question at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on the day said that the NCC’s dialogue with political parties would begin soon.

As part of the political consensus-building process, the NCC would email a questionnaire to political parties in the next couple of days, the National Consensus Commission member said.

Around 150 questions would be sent to the parties to gather their feedback on which recommendations they agree with, partially agree with or disagree with, he said.

The full reports of six reform commissions were made public on February 8.

By February 21, at least 28 political parties and alliances had received hard copies of the reports for review.

The NCC member said that the political parties are expected to provide their feedback within a week of receiving the questionnaire.

Once all parties’ responses are collected, the schedule for the next NCC meeting will be finalised, the member added.

The interim government’s chief adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, who also serves as NCC chairman, chaired the first NCC meeting on February 15.

Saif · Mar 6, 2025

Consensus commission: Parties asked to give opinions on reforms

The National Consensus Commission has sent a letter to political parties, seeking their opinions on key recommendations made by six reform commissions.

www.thedailystar.net

Consensus commission: Parties asked to give opinions on reforms
Spreadsheet handed to them with March 13 as deadline

The National Consensus Commission has sent a letter to political parties, seeking their opinions on key recommendations made by six reform commissions.

The parties have been requested to submit their feedback in a spreadsheet attached to the letter by March 13.

After receiving their responses, the commission will sit with each political party separately, Prof Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission, told The Daily Star last night.

The letter signed by Prof Riaz contains a tabular format summary of the key recommendations of the six reform commissions, according to sources.

The parties have been asked to provide feedback on two aspects for each recommendation.

The first aspect is whether they agree with the recommendation.

They have been given three options: "Agree", "Disagree", and "Partially Agree". Each party must select one of these options to express their stance.

The second aspect is their opinion on the timeline and method of implementation of each recommendation.

There are six options to choose from: implementation through an ordinance before election, implementation through a referendum before election, implementation through a referendum during the election, implementation through a constituent assembly, implementation through constitutional reform after election, or implementation through both a constituent assembly and a legislature. Additionally, a comment section has been provided next to each recommendation for the parties to express their views.

Monir Haider, special assistant (consensus) to the chief adviser, is coordinating this initiative.

Among the recommendations for which political parties' opinions have been sought are appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners based on political consensus and transparency, enacting a law to clarify the responsibilities, powers, and accountability of the Election Commission, and establishing a permanent national constitutional council for appointing officials in all constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission.

Other proposals include putting a two-term limit on prime ministers, making a two-time elected prime minister ineligible for the presidency, and prohibiting the same person from simultaneously holding the positions of party chief, prime minister, and leader of parliament. The creation of an upper house in parliament with 100 seats allocated proportionally, and offering the deputy speaker position to the opposition party have also been proposed.

Additionally, it has been suggested that a lower house of parliament be formed with 400 members, including 100 reserved seats for women who will be elected directly.

There is also a proposal to elect a nonpartisan, honest, competent, and reputable individual as president through a larger electoral college consisting of members of both houses of parliament and all local government representatives.

Other recommendations include holding local government polls before national elections, making the Election Commission accountable, and amending the International Crimes Tribunal Act and the Representation of the People Order to prevent individuals accused of crimes against humanity from contesting parliamentary elections.

After the fall of the Awami League regime in August last year, the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus formed six reform commissions in early October, covering key areas such as the constitution, electoral system, public administration, police, Anti-Corruption Commission, and the judiciary.

These six commissions published their final reports in February. Subsequently, the government formed the National Consensus Commission, headed by Prof Yunus and comprising the heads of the six reform commissions.

The Consensus Commission will come up with a charter based on the reform proposals that will gain political consensus.

Saif · Mar 12, 2025

FEEDBACK ON NATIONAL CONSENSUS: Major parties set to miss deadline

Major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, are set to miss the deadline for submitting their feedback to the National Consensus Commission’s multiple-choice questionnaire on key reforms...

www.newagebd.net

FEEDBACK ON NATIONAL CONSENSUS: Major parties set to miss deadline
Sadiqur Rahman 12 March, 2025, 23:36

Major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, are set to miss the deadline for submitting their feedback to the National Consensus Commission’s multiple-choice questionnaire on key reforms.

The deadline expires today.

Most of the parties said that they would take time to submit their feedback while some of the parties said that they would issue statements instead of submitting answers to the NCC questionnaire at all.

The Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad and the Islami Andolan Bangladesh said that they would submit the answers to the NCC questions today.

The NCC, formed led by chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on February 12 to adopt reform commissions’ proposals through consensus among the political parties, on March 5 sent 166 multiple-choice questions to 34 political parties and alliances, seeking their answers by March 13.

The NCC questionnaire sent to political parties requires them to place a ‘tick mark’ to indicate whether they agree, partially agree or disagree with 166 specific recommendations.

It also seeks their views on whether the proposed reforms should be implemented via ordinance or referendum before the national election.

Alternatively, it seeks opinions on carrying out reforms through a referendum during the election, a constituent assembly, post-election constitutional amendments or through elected assembly and parliament members.

BNP standing committee member Salah Uddin Ahmed said, ‘Only answering the multiple-choice questions using tick marks will create confusion. That’s why we will review all the recommendations by six reform commissions to answer the questions and submit a review report to the commission within a few days.’

Six reform commissions on constitution, electoral, police, judicial, public administration and Anti-Corruption Commission submitted their full reports to the interim government on January 15.

The reports were made public on February 8.

Salah Uddin Ahmed said that the BNP would consider the political perspectives of its allies in finalising the party’s review report on reform proposals.

Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Mia Golam Parwar said on Wednesday that his party leaders discussed the NCC questionnaire but were yet to finalise the answers.

‘We will sit on Thursday to chalk out the answers. Hopefully, we will send our feedback in two to three days,’ he said.

Newly flouted National Citizen Party joint convener Sarwar Tushar said that his party leaders had discussed the questionnaire but would not send the answers to the NCC today.

‘We will respond to the NCC in a few days,’ Sarwar said.

The multiple-choice questionnaire, however, irked several politicians in the left block. They said that political consensus would not be created by answering only a set of multiple-choice questions.

Some of them said that the NCC could host a series of discussions with political parties regularly instead of sending a questionnaire.

Iqbal Kabir Zahid, the coordinator of the Left Democratic Alliance, said that seeking political parties’ ‘tick-mark’ answers on the crucial reform proposals seems inappropriate.

‘We will not submit the answers to the multiple-choice questions. But, we will send a joint-statement of the left parties on the reforms soon,’ Iqbal said.

LDA is an alliance of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), the Biplobi Communist League, the Ganatantrik Biplobi Party and the Samajtantrik Party.

CPB general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince on Wednesday said that his party would issue a statement on overall reforms after a few days instead of answering to the NCC questions.

Gana Adhikar Parishad faction general secretary Rashed Khan said that the NCC was not active in lessening the distances among the political parties, which, he believes, was more crucial than knowing answers to a set of multiple-choice questions.

‘However, we will respond to the NCC soon,’ Rashed said.

Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad presidium member Mushtuq Husain said that his party had already prepared the answers and would send them to the NCC today.

The Islami Andolan Bangladesh secretary general Yunus Ahmed Sheikh said that his party would also submit the feedback to the NCC today.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, NCC vice-chairman Professor Ali Riaz said that the commission would hold a series of dialogues with political parties soon after receiving their feedback.

The NCC is assigned to draft a political consensus-based ‘National Charter’ by July 15.

Saif · Mar 13, 2025

NATIONAL CONSENSUS COMMISSION: Only 7 parties give feedback

The National Consensus Commission will extend the deadline for receiving opinions on key reform proposals made by different commissions, as only seven out of the 37 political parties which were requested to give opinions, had responded to the NCC’s call by Thursday.

www.newagebd.net

NATIONAL CONSENSUS COMMISSION: Only 7 parties give feedback
Staff Correspondent 13 March, 2025, 23:45

The National Consensus Commission will extend the deadline for receiving opinions on key reform proposals made by different commissions, as only seven out of the 37 political parties which were requested to give opinions, had responded to the NCC’s call by Thursday.

In a letter dated March 5 to the political parties, the commission set March 13 as the deadline.

According to the commission’s press note released on Thursday afternoon, 16 political parties had requested an extension to the deadline for submitting their opinions on the recommendations.

Commission officials, however, did not disclose which parties had responded on time and which had requested a time extension.

However, Monir Haidar, the reforms-related special assistant to the chief adviser of the interim government, said that the commission would consider extending the deadline.

‘Major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami and the newly launched National Citizen Party, have requested an extension to the deadline,’ Monir told New Age on Thursday.

On March 6, the commission dispatched a 166-point questionnaire to the 37 political parties, aiming to gather their views on key reform proposals relating to the constitution, electoral process, judiciary, public administration and the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The questionnaire required respondents to place a ‘tick mark’ to indicate whether they agree, partially agree, or disagree with each of the 166 specific recommendations.

It also sought their views on whether the proposed reforms should be implemented through ordinance or referendum before the national election.

It invited opinions on whether the reforms should be carried out through a referendum, a constituent assembly, post-election constitutional amendments, or through elected assembly and parliamentary members.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, the commission’s vice-chairman, Ali Riaz, said that the commission would begin dialogues with political parties shortly after receiving their feedback.

Commenting on the dialogue schedule, Monir said that commission members would discuss the matter on March 16.

‘Hopefully, the commission will commence dialogues with individual political parties in the coming week,’ he said.

Saif · Mar 18, 2025

Consensus Commission's dialogue with political parties to begin Thursday

The National Consensus Commission is set to begin its dialogues with political parties, starting with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Thursday, aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

en.prothomalo.com

Consensus Commission's dialogue with political parties to begin Thursday
BSS
Dhaka
Published: 18 Mar 2025, 20: 11

The National Consensus Commission is set to begin its dialogues with political parties, starting with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Thursday, aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

The meeting with the LDP is scheduled for 3:00 pm on Thursday, according to a press release.

The commission will later announce the schedule for talks with other political parties in phases.

Meanwhile, two more political parties – Jatiya Ganofront and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) – submitted their views on the reform recommendations to the National Consensus Commission on Tuesday.

With the two parties, a total of 15 political parties have so far submitted their opinions, but major political parties, including BNP and Jamaat, are yet to send theirs.

The 15 parties are Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Khelafat Majlish, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, Zaker Party, Bhasani Onusari Parishad, Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), Amjanatar Dal, Rashtra Sanskar Andolon, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Bangladesh Jasad, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), Nagorik Oikya, Jatiya Ganofront and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).

Besides, 14 more political parties sought a few more days to place their complete opinions. The Consensus Commission is again contacting the remaining nine parties.

The commission, spearheaded by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, started its work on 15 February 2025.

The commission identified the crucial recommendations made in the reports of five reform commissions – the constitution reform commission, the public administration reform commission, the electoral system reform commission, the judiciary reform commission and the ACC reform commission – to seek opinions from the political parties.

Later, the commission sent a set of recommendations in a spreadsheet format to 38 political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by 13 March.

Saif · Mar 26, 2025

We’ll form consensus rising above personal, party interests: Rizwana Hasan

Environment, forest and climate change and the water resources adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said there has to be a fair trial of the killings and barbarism in July-August.

en.prothomalo.com

We’ll form consensus rising above personal, party interests: Rizwana Hasan
Staff Correspondent
Savar
Published: 26 Mar 2025, 11: 39

Environment, forest and climate change and the water resources adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan talks to the media at the National Memorial in Savar, marking the Independence and National Day, on 26 March 2025 Screengrab of a video.

Environment, forest and climate change and the water resources adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said there has to be a fair trial of the killings and barbarism in July-August.

“The killings and barbarity that took place in July-August (2024) must be tried in a fair way. We will try in our limited time so that people receive some verdicts of this trial. If we can do this, there will really be a trial of this barbarity, so that such trust comes among the people.”

Syeda Rizwana Hasan was talking to the media around 6:15 am today, Wednesday, after paying tribute to the martyrs at the National Memorial in Savar, marking the Independence and National Day.

She said there are the traditional challenges for a government. Now the process has begun to build consensus on various reforms. It must go through a process. Everyone must move forward together.

Another issue is to conduct the election fairly; fulfill the expectations of the people, she asserted.

Responding to a question on how far the expectations would be fulfilled, the adviser said, “The hope is that we will reach a consensus rising above personal and party interests in the national interest and. But different people see each issue differently. They have their own perspectives. It will take some time to reduce the differences in those perspectives and bring them to a common ground.”

Syeda Rizwana Hasan hoped political parties would prioritise national interests rising above everything else.

“They (the politicians) are much more experienced than many of us. That is why, I think that if we think people will take us into their confidence, then there is no way not to reach a consensus on the reforms that the people demand,” she added.

Saif · Apr 7, 2025

Consensus Commission to collect citizens’ views on reforms soon, says Ali Riaz

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz has said they will soon start seeking the people’s views on national reforms through an online survey. Speaking at the LD Hall of the parliament complex on Monday, he said the survey would open a way for the public to express their opinion

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Consensus Commission to collect citizens’ views on reforms soon, says Ali Riaz
bdnews24.com
Published :
Apr 07, 2025 21:50
Updated :
Apr 07, 2025 21:50

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz has said they will soon start seeking the people’s views on national reforms through an online survey.

Speaking at the LD Hall of the parliament complex on Monday, he said the survey would open a way for the public to express their opinions.

The Consensus Commission, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, became active on Feb 15. It aims to hold discussions with parties and political forces to form a national consensus and review the recommendations made by the reform panels ahead of the next parliamentary elections.

After reform panels forwarded their recommendations, the commission requested the 38 political parties to provide comments on them by Mar 13.

Nine parties have yet to submit their opinions on the recommendations.

“We’ve received opinions from 29 political parties and are holding discussions based on those. We held dialogues with four political parties before Eid and resumed discussion [on Monday] after [Eid] break,” Riaz said.

“Hopefully the first phase of dialogues with parties and alliances will conclude by the first week of May.”

“We will then enter the second phase. In that case, differing opinions outside things agreed upon [will be there]. Some things need to be elaborated. We’ll hopefully be able to discuss these in the second week of May.

“The commission aims to wrap up its responsibilities by July, he added.

The interim government wants to hold the general election between December this year and the first half of 2026 plugging in reforms based on consensus among political parties.

The parties had been cooperating with the commission, he said. “Political parties represent the people, not just a particular group or section of society. We want to take the views outside of those.

“We will start down that path very soon. Our sincere effort is to establish consensus through the participation of everyone. So that we can focus on the reform process."

The Consensus Commission sat with the AB Party, led by Chairman Mojibur Rahman, around 3pm on Monday.

Saif · Apr 11, 2025

undefined | The Financial Express

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Consensus Commission resumes talks with parties on reforms Saturday
UNB
Published :
Apr 11, 2025 21:03
Updated :
Apr 11, 2025 21:03

As part of the series of talks with political parties, the National Consensus Commission is going to sit in separate discussions with Bangladesh Jasod and Zaker Party on Saturday over the reform recommendations.

The talks with Jasod will be held at 10:00 am, while that with Zaker Party at 3:00 pm at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex, said a press release on Friday.

The Consensus Commission opened the dialogues on March 20 last and already held talks with six political parties – Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Labour Party, Rastra Sangshaskar Andolan, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party and Nagorik Oikya.

The commission has a plan to complete the first round of talks by the first week of May.

The Consensus Commission, spearheaded by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, started its work on February 15, 2025.

The commission identified the crucial recommendations made in the reports of five reform commissions – the constitution reform commission, the public administration reform commission, the electoral system reform commission, the judiciary reform commission and the ACC reform commission – to seek opinions from the political parties.

Later, the commission sent a set of recommendations in spreadsheet format to 38 political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by March 13.

A total of 32 political parties, including BNP, Jamaat and NCP submitted their respective proposals to the Consensus Commission.

Saif · Apr 16, 2025

undefined | The Financial Express

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BNP to attend talks with Consensus Commission Thursday
FE Online Desk
Published :
Apr 16, 2025 19:00
Updated :
Apr 16, 2025 19:00

The National Consensus Commission is set to hold talks with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday morning as part of the series of dialogues with political parties to reach a national consensus over the state reform initiatives taken by the interim government.

The discussion will start at 10:30am at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the capital, reports UNB.

A five member delegation, led by BNP standing committee member and former speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, will attend the talks, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a BNP delegation, led by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and expressed its dissatisfaction about the outcomes of the meeting as the Chief Adviser did not give them any specific deadline for the election.

“We are not happy at all, we have clearly said if the election is not held by December, the country’s political and social situation will deteriorate further, and it will be very difficult to bring under control,” Mirza Fakhrul told reporters emerging from the meeting with the Chief Adviser.

But Law Adviser Asif Nazrul at a press briefing said the government clarified its stance, saying the election would be held between December 2025 to June 2026.

“December to June does not mean that we will deliberately delay the elections till May. December to June means that we will hold elections as soon as possible after December… the elections will be held as soon as possible between December and June,” he said.

Noting that BNP is very positive over the reform recommendations of the National Consensus Commission, the party is going to sit with the consensus commission.

“We feel that the BNP is very sincere about reforms ... .they (BNP) agreed to most of the reform recommendations, and they have a long tradition of supporting reforms,” said Asif Nazrul.

On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. The commission has already held talks with 11 political parties.

The National Consensus Commission, formed under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms. Since its inception on February 15, 2025, the commission has been working to finalise recommendations for the state reform proposals.

In the initial phase, key recommendations from five reform commissions — covering constitutional, public administration, electoral system, judiciary, and anti-corruption reforms — were compiled and shared with 39 political parties for their feedback. To date, 34 parties have responded.

The National Consensus Commission is working to build national consensus over reform initiatives by mid-July next, by completing the first round of talks with political parties by the first week of May next and entering the second round of talks in the second week of May.

Saif · Apr 19, 2025

Riaz urges unity to build new Bangladesh, prevent return of fascism

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said everyone needs to work together to build a new Bangladesh so that fascism and repressive systems cannot return to Bangladesh. "Now our task is to work together to build a new Bangladesh, so that fascist rule does not

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Riaz urges unity to build new Bangladesh, prevent return of fascism
Published :
Apr 19, 2025 16:19
Updated :
Apr 19, 2025 16:19

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said everyone needs to work together to build a new Bangladesh so that fascism and repressive systems cannot return to Bangladesh.

"Now our task is to work together to build a new Bangladesh, so that fascist rule does not return to Bangladesh, Bangladesh's democratic institutions take a permanent shape and the rights of people are established. And so that we can eliminate disappearances, killings, extrajudicial killings and all forms of oppression,” he said.

Prof Riaz said this while delivering his speech at the talks with the National Citizen Party (NCP) held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex, UNB reports.

An eight-member NCP delegation led by its Convener Nahid Islam attended the dialogue at 10:30am with Prof Ali Riaz in the chair.

The National Consensus Commission arranged the talks as part of a series of dialogues with political parties to reach a national consensus over the state reform initiatives taken by the interim government.

Prof Riaz said the aspirations for democracy had been repeatedly undermined in Bangladesh. “We have witnessed how the victories achieved through democratic struggles have been trampled in various ways and how the state was brought under the control of one person and a system of governance was established,” he said.

Noting that if necessary, discussions with political parties will continue, he said, "We want to prepare a national charter that reflects the aspirations of the nation," he said.

Praising the NCP leaders for spearheading the July mass uprising, Prof Riaz said they fought fearlessly against prolonged fascist rule, risking their lives.

Their comrades even sacrificed their lives to defeat a fascist regime, he said.

“We are grateful to you. The nation will remember you as part of history. You have created a bright chapter in history,” said the Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission.

Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider.

On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

The commission has already held talks with 12 political parties.

The commission formed under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms.

Since its inception on February 15, 2025, the commission has been working to finalise recommendations for the state reform proposals.

In the initial phase, key recommendations from five reform commissions — covering constitutional, public administration, electoral system, judiciary, and anti-corruption reforms — were compiled and shared with 39 political parties for their feedback. To date, 34 parties have responded.

The National Consensus Commission is working to build national consensus over reform initiatives by mid-July next, by completing the first round of talks with political parties by the first week of May next and entering the second round of talks in the second week of May.

Saif · Apr 20, 2025

BNP wants a person eligible again for PM post after a break

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants a person to be eligible again for prime minister post for next term after taking a break following serving in this position for two consecutive tenures. BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed told the media today that there is no rationale for narrowing the...

en.prothomalo.com

Meeting with Consensus Commission
BNP wants a person eligible again for PM post after a break

BSS Dhaka
Updated: 20 Apr 2025, 23: 09

BNP leaders in the meeting with the National Consensus Commission at the LD Hall of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban Prothom Alo

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants a person to be eligible again for prime minister post for next term after taking a break following serving in this position for two consecutive tenures.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed told the media today that there is no rationale for narrowing the scope for a person to serve the country.

Salahuddin was talking to the media during the break of a meeting of his party with the National Consensus Commission at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban’s LD Hall.

“BNP favors the reform proposal that a person can’t be prime minister for more than two consecutive terms. But the party wants a person to be qualified again for the position after taking a break,” he said.

A five-member BNP delegation is taking part in the meeting for the second day. Other members of the delegation are BNP’s Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Ismail Zabiullah and lawyer Ruhul Quddus Kajal and retired bureaucrat Moniruzzaman Khan.

“The issue is yet to be placed at the meeting but the party’s position is clear about this,” Salahuddin stressed.

The senior BNP leader also said, “If the people want to make a person the prime minister again after a break of two terms, that opportunity should not be narrowed. We have proposed to keep the issue open.”

He also differed with the proposal of the National Consensus Commission that a person cannot hold the office of the head of the government and ruling political party at the same time.

“We do not see the practice anywhere in the world that the same person cannot be the head of government and the party,” he said.

“In the UK, we see that the party chief assumes the office of the head of the government. This is a democratic practice,” he said.

Salahuddin laid importance on restoration of the Caretaker Government system and an independent Election Commission (EC) to hold all national elections.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed speaks with the media during a break in the meeting with the National Consensus Commission at the LD Hall of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban BSS.

“If the EC can hold a free and fair election under a caretaker government then people will accept the elected persons as their representatives,” he said.

Replying to a question, the BNP leader said, BNP differs with the Reform Commission’s proposal for expanding the scope of fundamental rights.

“BNP wants the state to ensure fundamental rights of the people. Expanding its scope will burden the state’s economic expenditure. So, we want to keep those issues only which the state can afford,” he said, adding that all reforms should be made considering the state’s capacity to implement.

Salahuddin also said, BNP disagreed with the proposal of the Reform Commission to lower the minimum age for candidates to 21 years from existing 25 years.

Chairmen can be appointed from among the members of the opposition party for a few Parliamentary Standing Committees, but not all, he maintained.

Expressing BNP’s position against secularism and pluralism, the BNP leader said, “We have given an opinion against it.”

BNP wants to return to the situation before the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, he noted.

Salahuddin said BNP agrees to increase the number of women’s seats in parliament to 100 from existing 50. But the current status should exist until the next parliament is formed.

BNP agrees on the issue of access to the internet as a fundamental right of the people, Salahuddin said, the state has to ensure the fundamental rights of the people.

Stating that BNP does not agree with the theory of the National Constitutional Council (NCC), Salahuddin said, it will awfully reduce the power of the prime minister.

Nazrul Islam Khan said, “We want to cooperate with the commission sincerely. We have come close to the Consensus Commission on reforms on many issues except a few.”

“It is natural to have differences of opinion in a democracy as we don’t believe in BKSAL, where everyone was bound to agree on a predetermined issue,” he said.

Saif · Apr 22, 2025

BNP endorses equality, human dignity, social justice

A Bangladesh Nationalist Party delegation on Tuesday participating in a state reform discussion with the National Consensus Commission said that the party agreed to equality, human dignity, and social justice as the fundamental principles of the constitution.

www.newagebd.net

BNP endorses equality, human dignity, social justice
Staff Correspondent 22 April, 2025, 12:54

A Bangladesh Nationalist Party delegation on Tuesday participating in a state reform discussion with the National Consensus Commission said that the party agreed to equality, human dignity, and social justice as the fundamental principles of the constitution.

The BNP also agreed to the Constitution Reform Commission-proposed exclusion of the constitution’s Articles 8, 9, 10 and 12. ‘However, we have recommended replacing them with the articles as per the Fifth Amendment,’ said BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed.

Salahudding led the BNP delegation to the third meeting with the NCC at the LD Auditorium of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the capital Dhaka. NCC vice-chair Ali Riaz presided over the meeting.

The Fifth Amendment by the second parliament in April 1979 adopted ‘absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah’ in Article 8, redefined ‘socialism’ by ‘economic and social justice’ in Article 9 and replaced socialism and freedom from exploitation with local government promotion and women’s participation in Article 10 and Article 12 was excluded.

Although disagreeing to the reform commission-proposed ‘pluralism’ as one of the fundamental constitution principles, the BNP delegation recommended a sentence — ‘Bangladesh is a country of multiple ethnicities, multiple religions, multiple languages and multiple cultures where coexistence and proper dignity of all communities will be ensured’ to add to the fundamental principles part of the constitution.

The BNP delegation disagreed to the proposed decentralisation of the High Court. Salauhuddin said, ‘We have proposed the appointment of chief justice from among the top three senior judges of the Supreme Court, considering the ‘Doctrine of Necessity’, and a National Judicial Council, like the Supreme Judicial Council, to check corruption and misconduct in the local courts.’

After a prolonged discussion with the NCC, he said that his party agreed to a 505-member bicameral parliament but recommended the traditional electoral process for the 100 reserved seats for women.

Disagreeing to the reform commission’s relevant proposals, the BNP delegation recommended that a person may simultaneously hold the posts of prime minister, the parliament leader and the party chief.

They disagreed to the proposed electoral college method for electing the president and recommended that the president be elected by the members of the bicameral parliament, Salahuddin said.

Agreeing to the proposed interim government, the BNP delegation said in case the chief adviser dies or becomes disqualified, the next chief adviser may be chosen from among the advisory council.

Except for amending Articles 8, 48, 56 and 142 of the constitution, the BNP doesn’t think that a referendum is necessary when a two-thirds majority of the bicameral parliament approves any change in the constitution, Salahuddin said.

According to him, the BNP delegation strongly opposed the transformation of the Human Rights Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission as constitutional bodies.

‘However, we have proposed the enactment of a law for the establishment of a local government commission,’ Salahuddin said.

As part of participating in the state reform initiatives, the BNP delegation first sat in a dialogue with the NCC on April 17 and the second dialogue was held on April 20.

Responding to the NCC invitation for their opinions on the key reform proposals, the BNP provided its feedback on March 23.

Beginning on March 20, the NCC held dialogues on state reforms with at least 15 political parties till Tuesday.

Saif · Apr 28, 2025

Reform Process: Prof Yunus gives directives towards next steps

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday gave necessary directives towards next steps on the reform process as the National Consensus Commission reviewed the progress of the ongoing discussions with political parties. He made the directives during a meeting with the members of the National Cons

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Reform Process: Prof Yunus gives directives towards next steps
UNB
Published :
Apr 28, 2025 22:32
Updated :
Apr 28, 2025 22:32

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday gave necessary directives towards next steps on the reform process as the National Consensus Commission reviewed the progress of the ongoing discussions with political parties.

He made the directives during a meeting with the members of the National Consensus Commission held at the State Guest House Jamuna.

The meeting was chaired by the head of the Commission and Chief Adviser to the interim government Prof Yunus, and a detailed discussion was held on the reform process, said the Chief Adviser's press wing.

Commission Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz informed the head of the Commission about the discussions that have already been held with the political parties.

Commission members Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Justice Emdadul Hoque and Safar Raj Hossain also participated in the meeting.

Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Industries and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, and Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Monir Haider were also present.

Saif · May 13, 2025

CPB opposes rewriting the constitution

The party reaffirmed their support for major structural reforms and emphasised their strong opposition to any move toward constitutional reform.

en.prothomalo.com

National consensus commission
CPB opposes rewriting the constitution
Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 13 May 2025, 22: 50

The consensus commission holds a dialogue with the CPB at the national parliament on 13 May, 2025. Prothom Alo

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has opposed rewriting the constitution and proposed the introduction of a proportional representation (PR) system in national parliamentary elections.

CPB president Mohammad Shah Alam made the statement after a meeting with the National Consensus Commission, held at the LD Hall of the national parliament on Tuesday. The meeting began at 10:30 am and continued until 2:00 pm.

Speaking to the media, Shah Alam said, “They (the consensus commission) did not retain our four fundamental principles (in constitution). We disagreed on that point. In short, we are against rewriting the constitution.”

Referring to the mass uprising in 2024, Shah Alam said it was rooted in an anti-dictatorship sentiment, not in opposition to the liberation war or the 1972 constitution. “These issues were brought up later, creating unnecessary controversy. I urged them not to get involved in that controversy. If it is done, the consensus commission would get itself in the controversy.”

He reaffirmed their support for major structural reforms and emphasised their strong opposition to any move toward constitutional reform that seeks to revert the country to its previous state in 1947.

CPB general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said the three-and-a-half-hour meeting discussed reforms to the constitution, the election commission, and the Anti-Corruption Commission. He noted that the CPB had disagreements with the consensus commission on several issues.

They, however, agreed on two-term prime ministership for an individual, increasing the number of seats reserved for women, introducing direct elections to those seats, and strengthening parliamentary democracy, said Ruhin Hossain.

He added that they proposed constitutional recognition of ethnic communities, recognition of basic necessities of life as a fundamental right, and making the state responsible for ensuring those necessities. The party also strongly recommended introducing a proportional representation system in elections.

Underscoring the need for reforms by an elected parliament, Ruhin Hossain said, “Since the upcoming national election is our main issue, no controversial issue should be brought up that might delay it. Therefore, we want to move forward to the election after reforming the electoral system as soon as possible.”

The 11-member CPB delegation included assistant general secretary Mihir Ghosh; presidium members Professor AN Rasheda; Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandan, Aniruddha Das Anjan, central committee leaders Kazi Ruhul Amin, Ragib Ahsan Munna, Sajedul Haque Rubel, Abid Hossain, and Professor Fazlur Rahman.

On the other side, National Consensus Commission vice-chairman Professor Ali Riaz and members Justice Md Emdadul Haque, Badiul Alam Majumder, Safar Raj Hossain, and Iftekharuzzaman were present. Monir Haider, special assistant to the chief adviser (consensus development), moderated the session.

Saif · May 18, 2025

Consensus Commission wants to move towards a national charter soon: Ali Riaz

Jamaat-e-Islami submitted its opinion to the National Consensus Commission on the proposals of the Reform Commission on 20 March this year.

en.prothomalo.com

Consensus Commission wants to move towards a national charter soon: Ali Riaz
BSS Dhaka
Published: 18 May 2025, 16: 06

The National Consensus Commission (NCC) holds an extended meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami at the LD Hall of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka on 18 May 2025. PID

National Consensus Commission Vice-chairman Professor Ali Riaz on Sunday said the commission wants to move towards a national charter by establishing a consensus as soon as possible.

He said this at the beginning of the extended meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami at the LD Hall of Jatiya Sangsad (JS) here, said a commission release.

He said the commission will conclude the initial stage of discussions with the political parties in a day or two and will soon start the second phase of discussions to create a national charter.

Commission Members Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman and Md. Ayub Mia and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider were present.

Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher led the party’s 11-member delegation in the meeting.

Jamaat-e-Islami submitted its opinion to the National Consensus Commission on the proposals of the Reform Commission on 20 March.

In that context, the commission held discussions with the party on 26 April. Extended discussions were held on Sunday on the unfinished issues of that day, said the release

Saif · May 25, 2025

People will be informed about issues on which consensus hasn’t been reached: Ali Riaz

People will soon be informed about key unresolved issues, including reforms to the state structure, in order to help them to ease their decision making process in future, National Consensus Commission (NCC) vice-chairman professor Ali Riaz said on Sunday. He made the remark while presiding...

en.prothomalo.com

People will be informed about issues on which consensus hasn’t been reached: Ali Riaz
BSS Dhaka
Published: 25 May 2025, 20: 10

National Consensus Commission vice-chairman professor Ali Riaz presides over a discussion with civil society members in Dhaka on 25 May 2025 PID

People will soon be informed about key unresolved issues, including reforms to the state structure, in order to help them to ease their decision making process in future, National Consensus Commission (NCC) vice-chairman professor Ali Riaz said on Sunday.

He made the remark while presiding over a discussion with members of civil society in the capital’s Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB).

“Our main objective is to build consensus on fundamental and reform related issues as part of drafting the national charter,” Ali Riaz said.

He, however, said differences are inevitable due to diverse political and ideological stances of various political parties, and it is unrealistic to expect consensus on every issue.

“We will soon inform the people about the issues on which consensus could not be reached,” he stated.

The consensus commission went on, saying, “We believe that transparency is crucial in earning the people’s trust and ensuring their cooperation in future political decision-making. This principle has guided us at every step of the way as we move forward.”

Ali Riaz emphasised that all are at a crucial turning point in history, which has brought tremendous opportunities.

“However, challenges arrive with every opportunity, and the complexities of this moment are particularly demanding as we strive for institutional and structural reforms within the state framework—a formidable task,” he added.

Expressing optimism that society will seize this historic moment, he remarked, “We bear the burden of 53 years of national endeavours, 16 years of relentless struggle, and the sacrifices made—especially during the July-August mass uprising, marked by bloodshed and loss.”

“From that sense of duty and responsibility, we hope that everyone will make efforts from their respective positions to bring about as much structural change as possible,” he expected, saying that, “We hope that the opinions shared by all present here today, as representatives of responsible citizens, will support and assist us.”

Ali Riaz emphasised that reform must go hand in hand with consensus, noting that “without the active involvement of civil society, the reform process cannot progress.”

“As mentioned earlier, our goal is to formulate a National Charter. We will strive to ensure that the opinions shared here are reflected not only in the National Charter being developed but also in the report we aim to prepare alongside it,” he added.

Commission members Badiul Alam Majumder, Safar Raj Hossain, Iftekharuzzaman and Md Ayub Mia and chief adviser’s special assistant Monir Haider were present.

Led by former ambassador Humayun Kabir, civil society representatives - Appellate Division’s retired justice Abdul Matin, security analyst Maj. Gen. ANM Muniruzzaman, professor Giti Ara Nasrin, professor Syeda Sultana Razia, professor Samina Lutfa, professor Waresul Karim, professor Mirza Hasan, BRAC University, Ashrafun Nahar Mishti, President of Puja Udjapan Parishad Basudeb Dhar, and human rights activist Ilira Dewan joined the discussion.

Saif · May 26, 2025

No consensus yet over some basic reform issues: Prof Ali Riaz

The National Consensus Commission is yet to reach an agreement among political parties on several crucial reform issues, including the chief and tenure of a caretaker government, the term limit for a prime minister and the formation of the National Constitutional Council (NCC). “Consensus ha

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

No consensus yet over some basic reform issues: Prof Ali Riaz

Published :
May 26, 2025 21:05
Updated :
May 26, 2025 21:05

The National Consensus Commission is yet to reach an agreement among political parties on several crucial reform issues, including the chief and tenure of a caretaker government, the term limit for a prime minister and the formation of the National Constitutional Council (NCC).

“Consensus has not yet been achieved on some important constitutional questions...,” said Vice Chairman of the Commission Prof Ali Riaz at a press briefing held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex on Monday, UNB reports.

These issues, he said, include the framework for the judiciary decentralisation, the appointment of the chief adviser to the caretaker government and its term, the formation of the National Constitutional Council (NCC), the term-limit for a prime minister, the number of portfolios an MP can hold, the method of electing the president and the process for amending the constitution. “These fundamental structural issues remain unresolved.”

He shared the commission's progress in building a consensus on state reform initiatives

Prof Ali Riaz, however, said many parties showed compromising attitudes over the important issues during their talks with the commission and suggested further discussion.

He said though the political parties agreed in principle on many recommendations of the Constitutional Reform Commission, there needs to be further discussion on the issues.

According to his written speech, there is no disagreement among the political parties over the restoration of the caretaker government.

Most political parties suggested refraining from writing ‘pluralism’ alongside ‘equity, human dignity, social justice and democracy’ as the basic principles of the state in the Constitution. They agreed in principle to form a bicameral parliament, although a few favoured retaining a unicameral structure, he said.

All the parties supported the formation of the 100-seat upper house, but how its members would be elected remains unresolved.

Although the majority of parties supported the proportional representation of votes as recommended by the Constitutional Reform Commission, no consensus was achieved in this regard.

There is a kind of consensus among the parties on the issue of reserving 100 seats for women in the lower house. But, there is a difference of opinion on its method.

All parties supported a proposal to appoint an opposition lawmaker as Deputy Speaker.

There is also a consensus on amending Article 48(a) of the Constitution, which defines the president’s powers, but parties differ on how to balance power between the president and the prime minister.

On the contentious Article 70, which bars MPs from voting against their party, most parties agreed to amend it. They want the bar lifted except in cases such as constitutional amendments, passage of the finance bill, and votes of confidence. Some parties also want the restriction to remain for state security-related bills.

Nearly all parties agreed on allocating the chairmanship of key parliamentary committees—such as the Public Accounts Committee, the Estimates Committee, the Public Undertakings Committee, and the Privileges Committee—to opposition lawmakers.

ACC Reform Proposals:

Political parties have largely agreed in principle to support all the recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission.

All parties agreed on the recommendation to enact laws to resolve and prevent conflicts of interest, to prevent the abuse of state and legal power.

Most of the political parties backed the proposal to give the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) constitutional recognition as an institution, as well as agreed in principle on the proposal to create the post of Ombudsman.

Recommendations for Judicial Reforms

All parties backed the creation of a Supreme Court secretariat to effectively separate the judiciary from the executive, and supported the recommendation that judges displaying political allegiance or views should be subject to disciplinary action.

The parties supported ending the president’s authority to appoint the Chief Justice and instead proposed appointing the most senior justice of the Appellate Division—or one of the top three senior justices—to the role.

All parties agreed in principle on enacting a Presidential Pardon Act to form a Pardon Board, allowing the president to act on its recommendations. However, one or two parties expressed dissent.

Electoral System Reform

Most of the parties agreed in principle on the establishment of a separate independent constituency delimitation authority. However, there are differences of opinion on this issue.

Reactions were mixed regarding the proposal to present the Election Commission’s legal, financial, and administrative proposals to an all-party parliamentary committee led by the Upper House Speaker, rather than the relevant ministries.

Most parties also agreed that any post-term complaint against election commissioners should be investigated by a proposed parliamentary committee and, based on its findings, forwarded to the president for action.

Public Administration Reform

Most parties agreed to create an independent investigation commission to identify and act against those involved in the July mass uprising atrocities and those accused of electoral fraud or corruption.

They also supported, in principle, the formation of three separate eight-member Public Service Commissions by restructuring the existing Public Service Commission.

Parties expressed mixed reactions to a recommendation for forming District and Upazila Citizen Committees—composed of people from different professions—to monitor ministries' works, similar to parliamentary standing committees.

Most supported restoring civil and criminal magistrate courts at the upazila level, in consultation with the Supreme Court as well as the formation of an independent and permanent Public Administration Reform Commission.

Prof Ali Riaz said the Consensus Commission will soon start the second round of talks in a bid to build a national consensus over reforms. During the second phase of the talks, the unresolved issues will be discussed, he added.

“We hope that it will be possible to prepare a national charter by July through the second round of discussions with political parties,” he said.

In response to a question, he said the Commission will prepare the national charter, but it will be up to the political parties to chart the implementation path, and the government will ultimately execute it.

Consensus Commission members Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Justice Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain, Md Ayub Miah, and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider were present.

The Consensus Commission opened a series of talks with political parties on March 20 last to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

The Commission held talks with 33 parties and alliances including BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP), before concluding the first round of dialogues on May 19 last.

Formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, the Commission was tasked with shaping a unified national stance on critical reforms.

Saif · May 26, 2025

Bangladesh consensus commission fails to find agreement

Bangladesh's National Consensus Commission, tasked by the interim government to lead critical democratic reforms after a mass uprising last year, said Monday that political parties had failed to reach agreement. The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil...

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Bangladesh consensus commission fails to find agreement

AFP Dhaka
Updated: 26 May 2025, 21: 00

National Consensus Commission vice-chairman professor Ali Riaz presides over a discussion with civil society members in Dhaka on 25 May 2025PID

Bangladesh's National Consensus Commission, tasked by the interim government to lead critical democratic reforms after a mass uprising last year, said Monday that political parties had failed to reach an agreement.

The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted by a student-led revolt in August 2024, ending her iron-fisted rule of 15 years.

Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner who is leading the interim government as its chief adviser until elections are held, has previously said he inherited a "completely broken down" system of public administration.

Yunus has said it required a comprehensive overhaul to prevent a future return to authoritarian rule. He set up six commissions to do that work, overseen by the Consensus Commission, which he heads.

Ali Riaz, the commission's vice president, said that despite marathon efforts they had not reached a deal.

"It wasn't possible to reach a consensus on several significant constitutional issues," Riaz told reporters in Dhaka, saying talks stretched over 45 sessions.

"We have been discussing 166 recommendations with 38 political parties and alliances."

Riaz, a political science professor at Illinois State University, said the teams would not give up.

"We are going to begin a second round of talks," he said, adding that the country's statistics bureau would "conduct a household survey to gauge public opinion". The commission plans to include 46,000 families in the survey.

Contentious issues include whether a prime minister can serve more than two terms, and the process for selecting the president.

The procedure for appointing the chief of the interim government, and the duration of its tenure, has also divided parties, Riaz said.

Parties also debated recommendations to change the terms of the constitution from "secularism" to "pluralism".

Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority nation, with Hindus accounting for less than a tenth of the population.

"Although most parties rejected the idea of pluralism, they recommended incorporating some form of protection for minorities," he said.

'No rift'

Yunus warned on Saturday that political power struggles risked jeopardising gains that have been made, carrying out two days of talks with more than 20 political party leaders.

Hasina's rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.

Her government was also accused of politicising courts and the civil service, as well as staging lopsided elections to dismantle democratic checks on its power.

Yunus has said polls could be held as early as December but that holding them later -- with the deadline of June 2026 -- would give the government more time for reform.

On Saturday, Yunus met with the key Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), seen as the election front-runners, who are pushing hard for polls to be held by December.

The military insisted at a press conference on Monday that there was no division with Yunus.

It was the first address to the media since army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman gave an address to officers on 21 May.

He said that elections should be held by December, aligning with BNP demands, according to Bangladeshi media and military sources.

"There is no rift between the government and the Bangladesh Army," Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Shafiqul Islam told reporters.

"We share a cordial relationship and are working together for the sake of the country."

Saif · May 31, 2025

‘Without reforms, even fair polls can lead to rulers becoming tyrants’

Says Badiul Alam Majumdar

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‘Without reforms, even fair polls can lead to rulers becoming tyrants’
Says Badiul Alam Majumdar

Photo: Collected

Badiul Alam Majumdar, member of the National Consensus Commission and Secretary of Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance), has cautioned that even a free and fair election without structural reforms could lead to authoritarian rule.

Speaking at a discussion titled "National Charter and Citizen Expectations", organised by Shujan at the RDRS auditorium in Rangpur, Badiul emphasised that fundamental reforms were the core demand of those who sacrificed their lives during the July uprising, including Shaheed Abu Sayeed.

"Without reforms, elections alone cannot prevent the return of autocracy. Even a fair election could result in a government turning into a tyranny," he warned.

Badiul expressed hope that on Abu Sayeed's martyrdom day, political parties would reach agreements on constitutional and institutional reforms.

While acknowledging that some changes could be implemented through ordinances, he stressed that major reforms require political consensus.

He urged citizens to remain vigilant and proactive in supporting the proposals outlined in the National Charter.

Majumdar advocated for a bicameral parliamentary system, suggesting that the upper house should consist of half partisan and half non-partisan representatives to ensure broad societal representation.

"An upper house could oversee decisions made in the lower house, preventing policies that go against public interest," he explained.

Addressing concerns over student politics, Majumdar stated that while students should engage in political and cultural activities, they must not become militant enforcers for political parties.

"We do not seek to ban student politics, but we must end the culture of blind allegiance among students, teachers, and professionals," he asserted.

He also urged political parties to reform their internal structures, ensuring that candidates are selected based on merit and integrity.

"Only honest, competent, and public welfare-oriented individuals should receive nominations," he emphasised.

Badiul stressed the need for financial transparency within political parties, warning that lack of accountability could weaken democracy.

"If parties fail to ensure financial transparency, democratic institutions will remain fragile," he cautioned.

The discussion also featured academics and civil society representatives, who proposed measures to empower women, uplift marginalised communities, depoliticise education and healthcare, and strengthen democratic practices.

Saif · Jun 1, 2025

Consensus Commission to begin second round of reform talks on Monday

The National Consensus Commission is set to begin the second phase of reform discussions with political parties and other stakeholders on Monday, following the conclusion of its initial round of talks in May. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, who also chairs the commission, will inaugurate the new rou

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Consensus Commission to begin second round of reform talks on Monday

Published :
Jun 02, 2025 00:31
Updated :
Jun 02, 2025 00:31

The National Consensus Commission is set to begin the second phase of reform discussions with political parties and other stakeholders on Monday, following the conclusion of its initial round of talks in May.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, who also chairs the commission, will inaugurate the new round of meetings at 4:30pm at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, reports bdnews24.com.

The first phase of the commission’s dialogue ran from Mar 20 to May 19 and included extensive engagements with political parties on reform proposals.

The interim government formed six reform commissions in October 2024 after the fall of the Awami League administration amid mass protests on Aug 5. These commissions submitted their recommendations in February, leading to the formation of the National Consensus Commission on Feb 12.

The commission, comprising the heads of the constitutional, electoral, judiciary, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), police, and public administration reform panels, was tasked with building consensus on key proposals and drafting a “National Charter.”

It officially began work on Feb 15 with a six-month mandate.

On Feb 28, the commission distributed printed versions of the six reform reports among all political parties.

A week later, on Mar 5, a spreadsheet summarising 166 key recommendations—70 on constitutional reform, 27 on electoral reform, 23 on judiciary reform, 26 on public administration, and 20 on the ACC—was shared with 38 political parties and alliances for their feedback.

Although the initial deadline for feedback was set for Mar 15, several parties requested extensions. Ultimately, 35 parties and alliances responded, with some submitting detailed commentary in addition to the completed spreadsheet.

Between Mar 20 and May 19, the commission held 45 sessions with 33 political parties and alliances, some of which participated in discussions across multiple days. The panel reported that these meetings led to agreements or partial consensus on several issues.

The second phase aims to build on that progress and move closer to finalising a framework for long-term governance reform.

Saif · Jun 3, 2025

Can the consensus commission break the deadlock?

A collective dialogue should streamline the process and accelerate resolutions

www.thedailystar.net

Can the consensus commission break the deadlock?

Political leaders at the National Consensus Commission’s inaugural meeting. File photo: CA PRESS WING

Bangladesh stands at a pivotal moment in its political history, with plans to make democratic institutions functional and curb the risk of a return to autocracy.

At the centre of this initiative is the National Consensus Commission, which is working to build agreement among the country's political parties on key reforms.

These proposals—formulated by five commissions—focus on the constitution, judiciary, electoral system, public administration, and anti-corruption mechanisms.

In a country where political consensus has historically been elusive, the commission has held its first round of discussions with 33 political parties separately on 164 key recommendations.

Yet again these talks have revealed entrenched political rivalries and deep ideological divides.

One key area of consensus among political parties is the reinstatement of the non-partisan caretaker government system. While a majority supports its return, sharp disagreements persist regarding its formation, duration, and particularly the process for appointing the chief adviser of the caretaker government.

Equally contentious is the proposal to establish a National Constitutional Council to oversee major state appointments, including that of the chief adviser, who will head of the election time caretaker government. Proponents argue that such a body could help dilute the concentration of executive power, especially that of the prime minister.

Under the current constitutional framework, the president—except in appointing the prime minister and chief justice—is obligated to act on the prime minister's advice, granting the executive considerable control over appointments.

Other reform proposals have also sparked mixed reactions. These include limiting the prime minister's tenure to two terms, preventing any individual from simultaneously holding the positions of prime minister, leader of the parliament, and party chief, and a bicameral legislature, with a 100-member upper house. While the idea of a bicameral legislature has gained traction, debate continues over how members would be elected—whether by direct or indirect votes, or a hybrid system.

Reform of Article 70 of the constitution—currently prohibiting members of parliament from voting against their party—is another critical issue. Many support granting MPs more freedom, but argue that voting against the party line should remain prohibited in case of finance bills, no-confidence motions, and constitutional amendments.

Parties also expressed diverging views on other proposals like amending laws to bar individuals accused of war crimes from contesting elections and "pluralism" as a fundamental principle of the state.

These disagreements once again show how much the country's political parties are divided ideologically.

Bangladesh has found itself poised at similar critical junctures before, and faltered.

The first opportunity for democratic consolidation was lost soon after independence, when a one-party system was introduced. That period was followed by a series of coups and military regimes.

The second chance came after the fall of the Ershad regime in 1990. The then interim government created 29 task forces in 1991, and over 250 national experts prepared reform plans across sectors including the economy, environment, energy, and politics. But those reports were ultimately shelved by successive governments.

Political parties have broken their promise and failed to fulfill the 'Tin Joter Ruprekha' (roughly translated to the Tri-alliance Outline), agreed to at the final stage of anti Ershad protest which aimed to establish a permanent democratic order.

Now, the country faces its third and arguably most critical chance. Failure to forge a comprehensive agreement could deepen polarisation, erode trust in political parties, and eventually stall the democratization process once again.

Reform must not be reduced to a zero-sum game of power redistribution. Rather, it should aim to build a transparent, accountable, and inclusive system—one that prevents the drift toward autocracy and reflects the aspirations of the Bangladeshi people.

Unless political leaders rise above narrow partisan interests and embrace a spirit of compromise, the Consensus Commission's efforts may grind to a halt.

The stakes are too high to let this moment slip away. For Bangladesh to chart a democratic future, political parties must acknowledge the weight of history, act with responsibility, and commit to building a shared national vision.

Thus far, the interim government, through the commission, has listened to parties separately. Today it begins joint meetings with all parties. Instead of repeated discussions with separate groups, a collective dialogue should streamline the process and accelerate resolutions.

When parties engage in discussions together, they gain a clearer understanding of each other's positions, concerns, and priorities, which can encourage compromise, and in turn lead to a lasting democratic dispensation.

Saif · Jun 15, 2025

Consensus Commission’s second round of talks resume Tuesday

National Consensus Commission will restart its second round of the reform dialogue with political parties on Tuesday to finalise recommendations and prepare the July Charter

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Consensus Commission’s second round of talks resume Tuesday

UNB
Published: 15 Jun 2025, 20: 36

National consensus commission Chairman Ali Riaz Prothom Alo file photo

The National Consensus Commission will restart its second round of the reform dialogue with political parties on Tuesday to finalise recommendations and prepare the July Charter.

The talks will begin at 11:00am in the capital's Foreign Service Academy, said a press release on Sunday.

The unfinished discussion over the Article 70 of the constitution, the chairmanship nomination for parliamentary standing committees and the women representation in parliament will be held.

Besides, two new issues --the bicameral parliament and the appointment of Chief Justice -- will be discussed on that day.

The National Consensus Commission will also hold talks on 18 and 19 June, but the agenda for the two days have not been informed yet.

On 2 June, Chief Adviser and Commission Chairman Prof Muhammad Yunus opened the second round of the dialogue and then the commission sat with political parties just for a day (3 June) to discuss three reform issues.

Nearly 30 parties, including BNP, Jamaat, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), joined the June 03 talks presided over by Commission vice chairman Prof Ali Riaz.

Three issues -- the Article 70 of the constitution, the chairmanship nomination for parliamentary standing committees and the women representation in parliament - were widely discussed.

The Consensus Commission started its first round of talks with political parties on 20 March to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

The Commission held talks with 33 parties and alliances including BNP, Jamaat and NCP before concluding the first round of dialogues on 19 May.

Formed on 15 February, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, the Commission was tasked with shaping a unified national stance on critical reforms.

Saif · Jun 15, 2025

2nd round of NCC dialogue resumes tomorrow

The second round of the National Consensus Commission-led dialogue with political parties will resume on Tuesday after a 13-day break for the Eid-ul-Azha holiday.

www.newagebd.net

2nd round of NCC dialogue resumes tomorrow
Staff Correspondent 16 June, 2025, 00:01

The second round of the National Consensus Commission-led dialogue with political parties will resume on Tuesday after a 13-day break for the Eid-ul-Azha holiday.

An NCC press release issued on Sunday said that the agenda for the dialogue includes the reform of Article 70 of the constitution, the selection of parliamentary standing committee chairpersons, representation of women in the legislature, the possibility of a bicameral parliament and the appointment process of the chief justice.

The second round of the NCC dialogue has drawn special attention in the political arena as chief adviser Professor Mohammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman agreed during a meeting in London on Friday that Bangladesh’s next national elections could be held in mid-February 2026.

A joint statement issued after the meeting quoted Professor Yunus as saying, ‘In that case, sufficient progress on reforms and trial will need to be made by that time.’

Most political parties in Bangladesh welcomed the outcome of the London meeting as a positive and constructive step towards a democratic transition, seeing it as a potential breakthrough in the ongoing political stalemate.

In response, the BNP and several other parties have begun outlining election-centric programmes, signalling a shift towards preparations for potential participation in the upcoming national election.

In the backdrop of this development, the second round of the NCC dialogue is expected to play a crucial role in encouraging both political parties and the government to finalise the July Charter, which outlines key reform issues.

NCC vice-chairman Ali Riaz and representatives of participating political parties will brief journalists following the meeting, while Bangladesh Television News will broadcast the proceedings live, the release added.

The interim government, led by chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, also the NCC chair, formed the commission on February 12 to build political consensus on state reform issues.

The urgency of state reforms arose after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024 amid a mass uprising.

Professor Yunus inaugurated the NCC-led dialogue with political parties on February 15.

Following feedback from political parties on 166 key reform proposals submitted by five commissions covering constitutional, judicial, electoral, public administration and Anti-Corruption Commission reforms, the NCC began party-individual dialogues on March 20.

By May 19, a total of 33 political parties participated in the first round of the NCC-led dialogue. All sessions were held at the LD Hall of Jatiya Sangsad in Dhaka.

The second round of dialogue was inaugurated by the chief adviser on June 2 at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Before the Eid vacation that began on June 5, the NCC held two days of all-party dialogue.

The drafting of a political consensus-based national charter by July is the expected outcome of the ongoing dialogue.

Saif · Jun 17, 2025

Jamaat will return to consensus dialogue, government fully neutral: Press Secretary

The Jamaat-e-Islami will attend the second day of the National Consensus Commission’s fresh round of talks despite skipping the opening session, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said. The clarification came on Tuesday afternoon following criticism that t

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Jamaat will return to consensus dialogue, government fully neutral: Press Secretary

Published :
Jun 17, 2025 21:09
Updated :
Jun 17, 2025 21:09

The Jamaat-e-Islami will attend the second day of the National Consensus Commission’s fresh round of talks despite skipping the opening session, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said.

The clarification came on Tuesday afternoon following criticism that the interim government was “favouring” the BNP in the political process, reports bdnews24.com.

Shafiqul shrugged off the claims, saying the caretaker administration has maintained “full neutrality”.

Speaking at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka’s Bailey Road, the press aide said: “The Jamaat-e-Islami will join [on Wednesday]. We’ve spoken with them.

“Missing one day is fine. They’ll be fully present [on Wednesday].”

When asked about Jamaat’s absence from the first session, he said he did not know the reason.

Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad declined to comment when asked in the afternoon.

Earlier in the morning, he said “We didn’t join [Tuesday’s] meeting in protest.”

Asked if the party would join the next day, he said: “Can’t say yet. We’ll discuss and decide.”

The day’s session began at 11:30am with representatives from 30 political parties, but no one from Jamaat was seen in the room.

Later it emerged that Jamaat “boycotted” the session in protest of a joint statement issued after a meeting in London between Yunus and BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Jamaat’s deputy chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said Jamaat would not join the second phase of the dialogue.

Despite a 30-minute delay in starting, Jamaat’s seat remained empty throughout.

As the lunch break began, several journalists asked Yunus’s Special Assistant (Consensus Affairs) Monir Haider why Jamaat had not turned up.

He said: “Jamaat-e-Islami has symbolically boycotted [Tuesday’s] session.”

When asked if the boycott was linked to the Yunus-Tarique meeting in London, he said: “You can take it that way.”

Asked to respond to Jamaat leaders claiming they were upset by the London statement, the press secretary said: “We’re not aware of any such issue.”

On concerns from Jamaat and the NCP over alleged bias towards BNP, he said, “We believe we’re maintaining maximum neutrality. We consider everyone who took part in the July mass uprising to be a stakeholder. I don’t think the allegation is true. From all angles, we’re neutral.”

On concerns from the Jamaat and the National Citizen Party (NCP) over the government’s allegedly one-sided attitude towards the BNP, Shafiqul said: “We believe we are maintaining maximum neutrality.

“Everyone who took part in the July Uprising is considered a stakeholder. I don’t think the claim is true. In every sense, we are neutral.

“All parties and groups involved in the July movement are being given equal importance. No one is being treated differently,” he added.

Later, the commission’s Vice President Ali Riaz alo said: “The government has been in touch, and they [Jamaat] will attend [on Wednesday].”

Saif · Jun 17, 2025

Parties agree lawmakers’ freedom to vote in JS

All the 29 political parties attending the meeting on the third day of the second round of National Consensus Commission-hosted dialogue on Tuesday agreed that lawmakers could vote against bills except the finance bill and confidence motion, going against...

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Parties agree lawmakers’ freedom to vote in JS
Discussion over women’s reserved seats, bicameral JS deferred
Staff Correspondent 17 June, 2025, 22:09

Vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz speaks at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Tuesday. | BSS photo

All the 29 political parties attending the meeting on the third day of the second round of National Consensus Commission-hosted dialogue on Tuesday agreed that lawmakers could vote against bills except the finance bill and confidence motion, going against their respective parties.

To free lawmakers from absolute party domination, the politicians overwhelmingly agreed to reform the related Article 70 of the constitution that bars lawmakers from going against their parties.

This political agreement will be included in a national charter to be finalised by July, said NCC vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz.

However, the meeting decided to keep the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-proposed bar on lawmakers from voting against any bill related to constitutional amendment and war-time national security as a note of descent in the charter.

Inaugurated by the interim government’s chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on June 2, Tuesday’s meeting of the NCC’s second-round dialogue with political parties held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital Dhaka.

Although delegates from major political parties, including the BNP, were present at the meeting, the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami abstained from attending Tuesday’s meeting.

Participants of the meeting discussed the reform in Article 70, the selection of parliamentary standing committee chairpersons, the representation of women in the legislature, the proposed bicameral parliament and the appointment process of the chief justice.

The meeting witnessed the majority agreed on a bicameral legislature and increasing women’s representation in the parliament, though the issues were deferred amid huge debates on the composition of the bicameral legislature and the electoral process of the reserved seats for women.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that political parties would reach a consensus on reforms and advance for the much expected national election through the series of dialogues.

In the meeting, most of the parties agreed to make opposition lawmakers the chairs of the parliamentary committees on public accounts, privilege, estimation and public undertakings.

Regarding the representation of women in the legislature, most of the parties, including the BNP, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, the Ganosamhati Andolan, the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD and parties under the Left Democratic Alliance, agreed to increase the reserve seats for women from the existing 50 to 100.

However, many parties opposed the Electoral Reform Commission-proposed rotational nomination system for women’s reserved seats while some others expressed their reservation on increasing the reserved seats.

Islami Oikya Jote secretary general Mawlana Shakhawat Hossain Razi questioned quota for women while Islami Andolan Bangladesh senior joint secretary general Maolana Gazi Ataur Rahman said, ‘There is no relevance of increasing the number of reserved seats for women with the movement against the fascist Awami League regime.’

Parties, including the National Citizen Party, the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) and the Bangladesh Labour Party, recommended direct election to 100 reserved seats for women while the Ganosamhati Andolan supported a rotational nomination system for women to contest the reserved seats by direct vote.

Amid huge debates on the nomination criteria and the election process of the reserved seats for women, the NCC decided to postpone the discussion over the particular issue until the next week.

Regarding the Constitution Reform Commission-proposed bicameral legislature, NCC vice-chair Ali Riaz said that more than two-thirds of the parties in the previous meetings agreed to the proposed bicameral legislature.

At Tuesday’s meeting, many parties, including the BNP, the Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, the Khelafat Majlish, the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, the JSD, the NCP, the Amar Bangladesh Party and the Ganosamhati Andolan, supported the bicameral legislature.

The parties, however, recommended that the upper house should be of 100 members instead of the proposed 105.

However, parties, including the CPB, the Gano Forum and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh disagreed ‘in principle’ to the proposal.

Amid huge debates on the election process for the upper house, the NCC postponed the related discussion until the next meetings.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the majority of the parties agreed that the president should appoint the chief justice from among two most senior judges of the Appellate Division.

Despite debates over the role of the Supreme Judicial Council and the relevance of the recently issued Supreme Court Judges Appointment Ordinance, 2025, in the context of appointing the chief justice, the NCC vice-chair said that further discussion would help reach a consensus among the parties on the issue.

NCC members Badiual Alam Majumder, Iftekharuzzaman, Safar Raj Hossian, Ayub Ali, Justice Emdadul Haque, and chief adviser’s special assistant Monir Haidar were present at Tuesday’s meeting.

After the meeting, the NCC vice-chair and the politicians briefed journalists.

Today’s meeting of the second round of the dialogue will be held at the same venue. The agenda of the today’s meeting include the proposed National Constitutional Council and the appointment of the president, said a NCC press release.

Saif · Jun 22, 2025

NCP calls for scrapping 4 fundamental principles of ’72 constitution

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has called for the abolition of the four fundamental principles of the 1972 constitution. “We have made it clear that we do not support retaining the Mujibist fundamental principles of ‘72. These principles must be removed,” the party’s joint convenor Javed...

en.prothomalo.com

Talks with consensus commission
NCP calls for scrapping 4 fundamental principles of ’72 constitution

Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 22 Jun 2025, 22: 48

NCP leaders talk to the media after the discussion on 22 June 2025 Prothom Alo

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has called for the abolition of the four fundamental principles of the 1972 constitution.

“We have made it clear that we do not support retaining the Mujibist fundamental principles of ‘72. These principles must be removed,” the party’s joint convenor Javed Rasin stated.

He made the remarks today, Sunday, in the capital’s Foreign Service Academy, following discussions between political parties and the National Consensus Commission aimed at concluding earlier unfinished dialogues.

Rasin further said, “There was a proposal from the Constitution Reform Commission—to include democracy alongside equality, human dignity, and social justice as the four fundamental principles. During the meeting, political parties showed disagreement over this issue. We clearly stated that we do not support retaining the Mujibist fundamental principles of 1972. Those must be removed.”

He also noted that some political parties, due to their ideological positions, could not agree to remove these four original principles.

“We responded by saying that there is no point in discussing matters here if they contradict the spirit of the 5 August student–people uprising. Therefore, the four principles of 1972 must be excluded, and other subsequent principles may be added,” he stated.

However, no consensus was reached among the political parties on this matter.

NCP’s senior joint member secretary Tasnim Zara said that the current system requires the tenure of the prime minister to be limited. She said discussions were held on this topic, including how long one individual should be allowed to remain in office.

“We proposed that an individual should be allowed to take oath as prime minister no more than twice. But in the interest of consensus, everyone seemed to agree on a maximum of 10 years. We are flexible on the timeframe,” she added.

Today’s discussion with the National Consensus Commission included participation from 30 political parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Islami Andolan, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Ganosamhati Andolan.

Chief adviser’s special assistant Monir Haider moderated the meeting.

Other attendees included the commission’s vice-president professor Ali Riaz, members Safar Raj Hossain, justice Emdadul Haque, Badiul Alam Majumdar, Iftekharuzzaman, and Mohammad Ayub Miah.

Saif · Jun 22, 2025

All but 3 political parties agree on term limit of PM: Ali Riaz

Most political parties have agreed that no individual should serve as prime minister for more than 10 years, except for three including BNP.

en.prothomalo.com

All but 3 political parties agree on term limit of PM: Ali Riaz
Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Updated: 22 Jun 2025, 21: 52

National Consensus Commission's Vice President Professor Ali Riaz during the meeting with political parties on 22 June Prothom Alo

Most political parties have agreed that no individual should serve as prime minister for more than 10 years in their career, except for three including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), professor Ali Riaz, vice-president of the National Consensus Commission said on Sunday.

"After lengthy discussions, we reached a clear position that a person cannot remain prime minister for more than 10 years. However, we have yet to reach full consensus as three parties opposed the proposal and asked for reconsideration," he stated.

Professor Ali Riaz made these comments today after the second round of talks between the National Consensus Commission and political parties at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in the capital.

Speaking about the discussions with political parties, he said, "We focused on two main topics throughout the day: the term limit of the prime minister and the fundamental principles of the constitution."

On the term limit issue, Ali Riaz said most parties agreed on a 10-year cap, but BNP, NDM, and BLDP differed, requesting further discussion after internal consultations. These parties argued that this issue is linked with other matters, particularly the formation of the NCC and the structure of the upper house.

Regarding the second discussion point, Ali Riaz mentioned that the Constitutional Reform Commission had presented a proposal on the constitution and the state's guiding principles.

Taking into account the sentiments and positions of various parties, the consensus commission will prepare a final proposal emphasising equality, human dignity, social justice, and democracy, he added.

Ali Riaz also said that the meetings were adjourned for the next two days at the request of political parties so they can discuss these matters at their policymaking levels.

"We hope this break will help resolve the remaining unresolved issues," he added.

Today’s discussion with the National Consensus Commission aimed to conclude previously unfinished talks and included 30 political parties such as BNP, Jamaat, NCP, Islami Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Ganosamhati Andolan.

Moderated by the chief adviser’s special assistant Monir Haidar, commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Emdadul Haque, Badiul Alam Majumdar, Iftekharuzzaman, and Mohammad Ayub Mia, were also present at the meeting.

Saif · Jun 22, 2025

Political parties still split over PM’s term

Most political parties on Sunday agreed to limit the tenure of the prime minister, but a complete consensus was not reached.

www.newagebd.net

Political parties still split over PM’s term
Staff Correspondent 22 June, 2025, 23:34

Focus Bangla photo

Most political parties on Sunday agreed to limit the tenure of the prime minister, but a complete consensus was not reached.

The parties also favoured adopting equality, social justice, and human dignity as fundamental principles of the state.

But the divergence in their interpretations and procedural approaches stalled the sixth-day discussion of the second round dialogue under the National Consensus Commission, prompting the comission vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz to adjourn the session attended by 30 political parties.

The dialogue session was as usual held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. The issue of limiting the prime minister’s tenure dominated the opening discussion, which began at 11:00am.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that his party agreed on two consecutive terms, adding that their decision on the PM’s tenure depended on the formation of a proposed National Constitutional Council and the electoral process for a bicameral Jatiya Sangsad.

In Sunday’s meeting, BNP’s Salahuddin made a fresh suggestion that a year-based limit might be more pragmatic than a term-based one.

Earlier in the first-round NCC dialogue, the BNP agreed on a two-consecutive-term cap, but with an option for the two-term PM’s re-appointment after a gap.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher also proposed a 10-year cap.

National Citizen Party joint convener Zaved Rasin and Rashtra Sanskar Andolan leader Syed Hasibuddin Hossain questioned the BNP’s logic behind linking the PM’s tenure to other issues.

In the Sunday’s meeting, National Democratic Party secretary general Mominul Amin, National People’s Party chair Fariduzzaman Farhad, Bangladesh Labour Party chair Mostafizur Rahman Iran, Jamiat Ulama-e Islam secretary general Maulna Manjurul Islam Afandi, Aam Janata Dal leader Sadhana Mahal backed the previous proposal from the BNP on the issue of PM’s term.

The Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh general secretary Saiful Huq and Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz expressed support for a lifetime two-term limit.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh senior joint secretary general Gazi Ataur Rahman dismissed the debate as irrelevant, arguing that a competent PM should not be bound by any time limit.

As politicians were getting stuck to a single point for an extended period of time, Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince warned against backtracking on earlier points of consensus, while Amar Bangladesh Party joint general secretary Suny Abdul Haque expressed frustration over the delays.

Amid requests from several politicians, including Ganosamhati Andolan chief convener Zonayed Saki, NCC vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz deferred the discussion until Wednesday to allow parties time to review the issue in their respective party forums and refine their positions.

After the lunch break, the focus shifted to reforming the fundamental principles of the constitution.

In 2011, the Awami League-led parliament passed the 15th amendment to the constitution, reinstating democracy, nationalism, secularism, and socialism as the fundamental principles, which were introduced in the 1972 constitution.

Citing outcomes of the NCC’s first-round dialogue, Ali Riaz said on Sunday that the proposed fundamental principles of the reformed constitution included religious liberty and harmony, along with the reform commission’s earlier recommendations of equality, social justice, human dignity, and democracy.

Political parties, including the CPB, SPB, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, and Jatiyo Gono Front, backed maintaining the existing fundamental principles and adding to those the commission-proposed ones.

On the contrary, religion-based parties like the IAB, Islami Oikya Jote, Khelafat Majlish, and Nezam-e-Islami voted for upholding ‘absolute trust in Allah’ and removing ‘secularism’ and ‘socialism’.

Opposition to the existing four principles was voiced by NCP’s Zaved Rasin, who dismissed the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman-era ideals, while IAB’s Gazi Ataur Rahman viewed that secularism no longer matched the belief of the majority of Muslims in the country.

Meanwhile, parties like the Ganosamhati Andolan, Rashtra Sanskar Andolan, and Nagorik Oikya turned down any move towards a majoritarian state.

BNP’s Salahuddin proposed amending these principles in the future, depending on electoral mandates.

In the earlier meetings, the BNP recommended fundamental principles outlined by the fifth amendment to the constitution in 1979 that removed ‘secularism’ from the 1972 constitution and inserted in it ‘absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah’.

Jamaat’s Taher supported both ‘absolute trust in Allah’ and the reform commission-proposed fundamental principles. He suggested that a referendum might offer the ultimate resolution.

Despite Jamaat’s Taher asserting that most parties supported the commission’s proposed fundamental principles, CPB’s Ruhin Hossain Prince and SPB’s Bazlur Rashid Firoz requested the NCC to avoid a hasty move to reach consensus on this ‘highly’ debatable issue.

With no agreement reached on both the issues, NCC vice-chair Ali Riaz adjourned the session at 5:00pm.

The NCC would not hold any session on Monday and Tuesday, said Ali Riaz.

Saif · Thursday at 7:59 PM

National Consensus Commission focuses on weakening executive branch: Salahuddin Ahmed

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that there is more eating and drinking than discussion happening in the reform efforts led by the National Consensus Commission.

en.prothomalo.com

National Consensus Commission focuses on weakening executive branch: Salahuddin Ahmed

Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 26 Jun 2025, 18: 27

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed addresses a meeting at the National Press Club on 26 June. Prothom Alo

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that there is more eating and drinking than discussion happening in the reform efforts led by the National Consensus Commission.

However, BNP believes that there will be a consensus in the end.

He made this remark today, Thursday, at an event held at the National Press Club auditorium, organised to mark the 13th founding anniversary of Nagarik Oikya.

Referring to the simultaneous movement by BNP as the foundation that planted the seed for the fall of the previous fascist government, Salahuddin Ahmed said, “We knew fascism would fall. But we did not know when, how, or by what method it would happen.”

Highlighting that BNP is cooperating with the government on reforms, he stated that the party agrees with the proposal that no individual should serve as Prime Minister of Bangladesh for more than ten years. This is where fascism has been resisted, he said.

Salahuddin added that the next step should be ensuring independence of judiciary, which he described as a shield for democracy.

Stressing the need to guarantee freedom of the press to protect democracy, Salahuddin Ahmed said that it has to be ensured that journalists serve their conscience, not their employers. As a political party, he affirmed, BNP will continue to support freedom of press in every possible way.

He expressed the view that a truly independent election commission could prevent the return of fascism.

However, he noted that weakening the executive branch alone is not enough to dismantle fascist structures.

He accused the National Consensus Commission of being overly focused on weakening the executive branch.

Just because one dictator emerged in the past doesn't mean the entire executive should be dismantled.

Salahuddin also added that BNP supports reforms, but not at the cost of weakening any particular branch of the state.

Saif · 2025-06-29T19:24:04-0400

BNP leader Salahuddin questions mandatory consensus on NCC proposals

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday questioned why reform dialogue is needed if all parties are asked to fully agree with every proposal put forward by the National Consensus Commission. “If we are asked to agree 100 per cent with all proposals of the Commission, then wh

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BNP leader Salahuddin questions mandatory consensus on NCC proposals

UNB
Published :
Jun 29, 2025 22:29
Updated :
Jun 29, 2025 22:29

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday questioned why reform dialogue is needed if all parties are asked to fully agree with every proposal put forward by the National Consensus Commission.

“If we are asked to agree 100 per cent with all proposals of the Commission, then why were we invited for discussion?” he told reporters after the seventh day of the second phase of talks between the commission and political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

The BNP leader said the July Charter or National Charter is supposed to be signed by bringing together all the issues on which the parties agree. “Now if we are forced here to agree on all the issues - that is not right,” he said replying to a question.

Noting that they never express disappointment, he said, “We express optimism. We are making this proposal -- all the issues that the parties and everyone will agree on will be signed as the July Charter.”

Focusing on BNP’s support to many reform proposals, Salahuddin said they agreed on the change in Article 70 of the constitution, the chairmanship of key parliamentary standing committees, conditionally agreed on the proposal of limiting a person’s tenure as prime minister to a maximum of 10 years during their lifetime (but in that case, the proposal to form any authority like National Constitutional Council or Appointment Committee for the constitutional and statutory institutions must be avoided).

He said BNP also agreed on the issue of electing the president through a secret ballot, allowing MPs to vote independently.

Salahuddin raised BNP’s previous position, objecting to the proposal to form an appointment committee for the constitutional and statutory bodies and introduction of Proportional Representation (PR) system (based on votes) in the proposed 100-seat Upper House.

He said BNP rather supports that the political parties should have representation in the Upper House based on the number of their respective MPs in the lower house in case of the bicameral parliament.

But most of the political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party-NCP, want the formation of the appointment committee and the PR system in the Upper House.

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