[🇧🇩] July Charter

[Saif]

What are the ‘July Declaration’ and the ‘July National Charter’?

The interim government is set to present the ‘July Declaration’ before the nation on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, the National Consensus Commission is working to finalise the ‘July National Charter’. Both documents have turned into topics of significant political discussion in recent times...

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Prothom Alo Explainer
What are the ‘July Declaration’ and the ‘July National Charter’?
Riadul Karim Dhaka
Published: 04 Aug 2025, 20: 57

Students demonstrate in July, 2024 Prothom Alo file photo

The interim government is set to present the ‘July Declaration’ before the nation on Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the National Consensus Commission is working to finalise the ‘July National Charter’.

Both documents have turned into topics of significant political discussion in recent times. While the two documents may appear similar, they are fundamentally different.

In simple terms, the “July Declaration” is a political document affirming the July 2024 mass uprising, aiming to grant it constitutional and state recognition.

On the other hand, the “July National Charter” is a political consensus document outlining proposed reforms in various areas of state governance and how those reforms will be implemented.

The mass uprising began in July last year under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, initially calling for civil service quota reform. It quickly evolved into a nationwide student–public uprising. On 5 August, in the face of this uprising, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country and took refuge in India. Since the fall of that government, the student and youth leaders who led the uprising have consistently called for a formal declaration recognising the movement.

They themselves took initiatives several times to publish such a declaration. At one stage, the government held meetings with various political parties and resolved to issue the declaration from the state level.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has been especially vocal about this declaration from the beginning. Its leaders argue that without it, future regimes may brand the July Uprising as an ‘unconstitutional seizure of power’, potentially prosecuting the students, citizens, and members of the interim government involved as ‘traitors’.

The July Declaration, they say, must serve to protect and legitimise the movement.

What the July Declaration includes

According to a draft obtained from relevant sources, the July Declaration comprises 26 points. The first 21 points briefly outline the country’s historical democratic struggles, including the Liberation War, and the context that led up to the July Uprising.

The draft also includes criticisms of constitutional amendments made under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that established the one-party BAKSAL regime. It also referred to events such as the “Pilkhana tragedy” and the “Shapla Chattar massacre”.

One clause in the draft states that an interim government was formed under the leadership of Professor Muhammad Yunus on 8 August 2024, based on the sovereign will of the people.

Subsequent sections highlight aspirations for democratic reform, justice for enforced disappearances, killings, genocide, and crimes against humanity under the Awami League’s rule. It also declares a commitment to rule of law, human rights, anti-corruption, and a democratic state free of inequality and exploitation.

One point in the draft states, “The July 2024 student–public uprising shall receive proper constitutional and state recognition. Specifically, it will be mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution and annexed in the Schedules.”

If adopted in its current form, the July Declaration will become part of the Constitution in the future. However, the BNP has expressed a different view. While they agree on including it in the Constitution, they prefer it be added only in the Fourth Schedule, not the Preamble.

The declaration will be deemed effective retroactively from 5 August 2024.

What is the ‘July National Charter’?

After coming to power through the uprising, the interim government initiated a series of structural reforms. Political consensus has already been reached on the initial proposals submitted by six reform commissions, formed in the first phase.

The ‘July National Charter’ will be a formal document based on these agreed-upon reforms. A draft has already been prepared by the National Consensus Commission, though it has not yet been finalised.

Broadly, the draft July National Charter is divided into three sections: background and context; list of agreed reform proposals; commitments on implementation.

It states that participating parties will commit to implementing the agreed reforms within two years of forming a government through the next general election.

However, some political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP, have reservations about mere verbal commitments. They want the Charter to have legal binding status to ensure actual implementation.

The National Consensus Commission is expected to hold further discussions with political parties and experts before finalising the Charter. So far, 30 political parties and alliances have taken part in the discussions and are expected to sign the document.

This July National Charter will contain a framework for the future Constitution of Bangladesh.​

 

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July charter: Commission likely to push parties for legally binding deal

Following demands from several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh, the National Consensus Commission is considering a proposal to make the July National Charter a legally binding document.

www.thedailystar.net

July charter: Commission likely to push parties for legally binding deal

Following demands from several parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh, the National Consensus Commission is considering a proposal to make the July National Charter a legally binding document.

The commission is likely to urge political parties to pledge to enact an ordinance with special constitutional provisions, giving the charter the highest legal authority with precedence over all other laws and court rulings.

According to pledges for the parties in the latest draft of the July National Charter 2025, parties are likely to be asked to commit to ensuring full legal and constitutional protection at every stage of implementing it. If any word, sentence, or policy of the charter conflicts with the constitution or other laws, the charter would prevail.

The commission will also seek a pledge from the parties to give constitutional and state recognition to the uninterrupted struggle for democracy, human rights, and justice, and to the historical significance of the 2024 anti-discrimination democratic movement and mass uprising.

Prof Ali Riaz, vice-president of the commission, told The Daily Star yesterday that they hope to send the draft to the political parties today or tomorrow. "Our work on the draft is at the final stage," he said.

Asked whether the document will be legally binding, he said the commission was holding discussions with legal experts on the matter.

Prof Riaz yesterday briefed Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on the overall progress of the July Charter. Asked when the commission would hold its third-phase meetings with political parties on the implementation and legal basis of the charter, he said no decision has yet been made.

The pledges to be sought from the parties also include ensuring constitutional recognition of the July uprising, justice for those killed during the uprising, granting state honours to the martyrs, and arranging treatment and rehabilitation for the injured.

"Any recommendations in this charter deemed immediately implementable will be carried out by the government and relevant authorities without delay and with effective measures before the next national parliamentary election," one of the pledges in the draft states.

On Sunday and Tuesday, the commission held talks with constitutional and legal experts and, according to sources, prepared a nine-point pledge for implementing the charter.

Prof Riaz told The Daily Star that discussions were held on how to implement the July Charter and give it legal backing, and that various proposals were presented.

However, he added that the pledges for the charter's implementation and legal basis have not yet been finalised, and the discussion is ongoing.

The July 2024 mass uprising, led by students and the public, toppled the Awami League government. On August 8, an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus took office.

After the Prof Muhammad Yunus-led interim government took charge following the fall of the Awami League regime in August last year, six commissions were initially formed to recommend basic reforms. Later, Prof Yunus formed the consensus commission with heads of the reform commissions. Under Prof Yunus, the consensus commission is tasked with preparing the July Charter through dialogues with and consensus among political parties, to serve as a blueprint for future governance.

In March, the commission held its first round of talks with 32 political parties and alliances on 166 proposals, reaching consensus on 62. In the second round, agreement was reached on 20 issues, while BNP, Jamaat, NCP and others placed notes of dissent on nine.

The preliminary draft of the charter, based on the 82 agreed proposals, was sent to the parties on July 28. In that draft, the commission asked parties to pledge to recognise and "enshrine the historical importance of the 2024 anti-discrimination democratic movement and popular uprising in the constitution with due prominence".

That version, however, made no mention of constitutional and state recognition for the broader democratic struggle or of ensuring justice for the killings.

Clause 3 of that draft proposed implementing the recommendations within two years after the next general election, which is now slated for February 2026. BNP and like-minded parties supported this, but Jamaat, NCP, Islami Andolan, and others demanded full implementation and legal backing within the tenure of the current government, threatening to withhold their signatures otherwise.

In response, the commission began preparing an outline for swift implementation. The integrated draft now being developed will include the background of the uprising, the formation of reform commissions, the 82 agreed proposals, and the nine-point pledge for implementation, according to commission sources.

The pledges state that jurisdiction over the charter's interpretation and legality will rest solely with the Appellate Division. They also state that the charter will be fully legally effective, and that no court may question its legality, necessity, or authority.

They also stipulate that necessary ordinances will be issued to ensure its provisions prevail over article 93(2) of the constitution or any other law or judgment.

One of the pledges, if approved by the parties, will allow amendments to the constitution, judiciary, electoral system, public administration, policing, and anti-corruption measures, as well as the enactment or revision of laws, rules, and regulations, to implement the charter's recommendations.​

 

[Saif]

July Charter draft disappoints some political parties

A few political parties, including the National Citizen Party, on Sunday expressed their disappointment with the draft July National Charter 2025 that was shared with political parties concerned by the National Consensus Commission on Saturday...

www.newagebd.net

July Charter draft disappoints some political parties
Sadiqur Rahman 18 August, 2025, 00:20

AFP file photo

A few political parties, including the National Citizen Party, on Sunday expressed their disappointment with the draft July National Charter 2025 that was shared with political parties concerned by the National Consensus Commission on Saturday.

The draft charter is divided into three parts: a prologue outlining the historical context of the intended reform initiatives, a set of 84 reform issues accepted by the majority of parties, and a covenant.

Representatives of the parties dissatisfied with the draft told New Age that the prologue contains ‘partial’ history while the set of reform issues doesn’t spell out all the disagreements, and the covenant is ‘confusing’.

Parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Khelafat Majlis, and Amar Bangladesh Party, said that they would convey their feedbacks by August 20 after discussing the draft on the party forum.

The Ganosamhati Andolan, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod expressed some concerns about the draft while the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Gano Forum criticised the draft, saying that it undermined the constitution.

NCP joint convener Javed Rasin said that his party was frustrated with the draft charter. His party will express its concern to the consensus commission, he said.

‘There is no timeline. Although the covenant pledges to execute the immediately implementable reforms by the government, there is no guideline on the method of implementation,’ Javed said.

The last section of the eight-point covenant says that the signatories have agreed that any reform measures mentioned in the charter that are deemed immediately implementable shall be executed in full by the interim government and the relevant authorities without delay, prior to the next national elections.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh presidium member Ashraf Ali Akon termed the draft ‘incomplete.’

‘The historical context of the July uprising has only been partially reflected. Moreover, the draft does not mention that our party has strongly demanded a proportional representation system in the lower house,’ he said, adding that a meeting of the party’s highest body would decide its next course of action.

Gano Adhikar Parishad general secretary Rashed Khan strongly opposed the prologue. He complained that the interim government had skipped the ‘Quota Reform Movement of 2018’, which had inspired youths to stand against discrimination and the fascist Awami League regime in the charter.

‘We will express our concerns in the feedback. Our party will take it seriously if our concerns are not addressed,’ he warned.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Jamaat assistant general secretary Hamidur Rahman Khan Azad, AB Party president Mojibur Rahman Monju, and Khelafat Maslish secretary general Ahmad Abdul Kader said that their parties would review the draft and give feedback to the commission by August 20.

According to the draft covenant, the signatories will pledge to incorporate all the charter provisions in the constitution and prioritise the document over the existing law of the land.

The charter shall be deemed constitutionally and legally binding and hence its validity, necessity, or authority shall not be questioned in any court. The covenant also says that only the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is assigned the authority to interpret its clauses.

Terming the provision against questioning the charter in any court as an ‘indemnity’, Communist Party of Bangladesh president Shah Alam said that such indemnity would damage the democratic essence of the constitution.

Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod presidium member Mushtuq Husain said that no charter can be implemented by deviating from the democratic norms and principles in practice.

Ganosamhati Andolan executive coordinator Abu Hassan Rubel, however, said, ‘When a charter is prepared in the spirit of the post-uprising masses to change the existing laws and rules, it must be prioritised over the existing laws. Otherwise, the charter has no value or significance.’

He, however, added that the implementation of reforms related to the constitution must be mandated by voters, either through the election of a constitutional reform council or the parliament. The political parties would decide on the process of implementation.

RWPB general secretary Saiful Huq said that matters unrelated to the constitution, on which we have reached consensus, can be implemented immediately.

‘But those related to the constitution must wait for implementation by the next parliament. It will depend on political decisions whether a sovereign parliament legalises this covenant of the charter or not,’ Saiful said.

In the set of 84 ‘agreed’ reform issues, section seven says that the majority of parties have agreed on the inclusion of equality, human dignity, social justice, democracy, and religious freedom, and harmony as the state’s fundamental principles.

Although the CPB, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, SPB (Marxist), Gano Forum, and Bangladesh Jasod have demanded that the consensus commission must not keep the section in the charter, the draft mentions the parties as ‘dissenters’.

The CPB’s Shah Alam, the Bangladesh-Jasod’s Mushtuq Husain, and the Gano Forum’s general secretary Mizanur Rahman, strongly opposed the ‘misleading’ mention.

Mizanur said, ‘The Gano Forum has also dissented from Bangladeshi nationalism [Section 2 of the charter]. But the draft does not mention our party as a dissenter,’ he added.​

 

[Saif]

No polls before July charter legitimacy: Jamaat, allies

Leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and seven other Islamist parties at a rally on Tuesday said that no general elections would be held before the July National Charter 2025 was given legal legitimacy.

www.newagebd.net

No polls before July charter legitimacy: Jamaat, allies
Staff Correspondent 11 November, 2025, 23:39

Leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and seven other Islamist parties at a rally on Tuesday said that no general elections would be held before the July National Charter 2025 was given legal legitimacy.

They urged the interim government to take steps for giving a legal basis to the July Charter before the 13th parliamentary elections planned for the first half of February 2026.

The July Charter, an agreement reached through almost a year of negotiations involving various political parties, was signed on October 17. But the political parties remain divided over its implementation method.

Jamaat and the seven other Islamist party organised the rally at the Purana Paltan crossing in the capital Dhaka to press their eight-point demand, including holding a referendum before the national election and holding the next general elections under the proportional representation system.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh amir Syed Muhammad Reazul Karim chaired the rally. Demanding a legal basis for the July Charter, Jamaat amir Shafiqur Rahman at the rally said that those who would not believe in the charter, the 2026 election was not for them.

‘No general elections will be held before giving a legal basis to the July Charter,’ he added.

Mentioning that holding a referendum on the charter before the next general elections was ‘the people’s demand’, he said that why there was a delay in holding the referendum.

‘We want that the next general elections be held before Ramadan, but before that a referendum must be held for giving a legal basis to the July Charter,’ Shafiqur said.

He also said, ‘We will continue our movements until our five-point demand is met.’

Islami Andolan Bangladesh amir Syed Muhammad Reazul Karim said, ‘We will continue their movements so that the fascist Awami League and their partners could not return to power again.’

He called on the Islamic political forces to remain united to resist the fascist political forces.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis amir Mamunul Haque said that they would wage tougher movements to compel the interim government to hold a referendum on the charter before the general elections.

A makeshift podium was built at the Purana Paltan crossing for the rally in which a huge number of leaders and activists of the eight political parties took part.

The programme was scheduled to begin at 2:00pm, but activists from Dhaka and nearby districts arrived at the rally venue from the morning in processions, occupying city roads near the rally venue and chanting slogans.

Due to the blocking of some key roads, the traffic movement was disrupted in the areas for several hours, causing sufferings for the city dwellers.

Khelafat Majlis amir Abdul Basit Azad, Nejame Islam Party amir Sarwar Kamal Azizi, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan amir Habibullah Miajee, Bangladesh Development Party president Anwarul Haque Chand, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party vice-president Rashed Prodhan and Jamaat secretary general Mia Golam Parwar, among others, also spoke at the rally.

On November 6, Jamaat and the seven other parties submitted a five-point memorandum to chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, seeking the implementation of the July Charter and calling for a national referendum ahead of the national election.​