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NCC drafts July national charter
Political parties on Monday received the draft of the ‘July National Charter 2025’, prepared by the National Consensus Commission, which would bind the parties to implement the consensus-based reforms within two years after the formation of the parliament.
www.newagebd.net
NCC drafts July national charter
No consensus yet on appointment of PSC, ACC, CA
Staff Correspondent 29 July, 2025, 00:24
Political parties on Monday received the draft of the ‘July National Charter 2025’, prepared by the National Consensus Commission, which would bind the parties to implement the consensus-based reforms within two years after the formation of the parliament.
On the day, 30 parties attended the 20th session of the NCC’s second-round dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka and discussed the appointment procedures for the proposed three Public Service Commissions, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the decision-making process of the selection committee for the caretaker government. However, no consensus was reached on the issues.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party walked out of the dialogue for a while to abstain from discussing the appointment procedures.
Regarding the charter’s draft, the NCC vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz said the charter would contain the consensus-based reforms and the parties’ endorsement.
He requested the parties to come up with their feedback on the draft by Wednesday as the commission had earlier decided to conclude its dialogue by July 31.
The draft charter obliges the signatory parties to restore democratic accountability, uphold the rule of law, and reform state institutions.
As per a 7-point endorsement declaration, the signatories will pledge to honour the sacrifices of thousands of people during the July 2024 uprising and uphold the charter as a shared moral obligation.
The charter would mention the background of the reforms, including the history of the six reform commissions and the NCC.
During the session, the NCC presented a formula for the appointment of top officials to the PSC and the ACC, the Comptroller and Auditor General, and the Ombudsman.
As proposed, the constitution’s article 137 would be amended or omitted while three PSCs would be formed with a chair and seven members each.
To appoint top PSC officials, a seven-member selection committee would be formed, headed by the speaker of parliament. Other members would include the deputy speaker, the chief whips of the ruling and the opposition parties, a lawmaker representing the second opposition party, and the chairs of the parliamentary standing committees on education and public administration.
As proposed, the president would appoint the PSC chair and members for a five-year term, based on the committee’s recommendations.
Ninety days before the current officials’ terms expire, the committee would issue a public call for applications, including a letter of interest and a biodata, as defined by the law.
The committee would then vet candidates and make appointments based on a two-thirds majority decision.
Laws enacted by the parliament would define the eligibility criteria, code of conduct, age limit, accountability measures, and rules for resignation and reappointment of the PSC officials.
Political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Nijam e Isami Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Amar Bangladesh Party, Ganosamhati Andolan, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Gano Forum, with additional suggestions, supported the NCC proposal.
On the other hand, the BNP refrained from discussing the issue while its like-minded allies, including the Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jote, National Democratic Party, National People’s Party, Liberal Democratic Party, opposed the proposal, saying that the appointment procedure for the PSC should be guided by laws.
The NCC vice-chair said that the commission would present a refined proposal in a couple of days.
Later, the NCC proposed that the status of the statutory ACC would be changed to a constitutional body.
A separate seven-member selection and evaluation committee was proposed for appointing top ACC officials.
The committee would be chaired by the second most senior judge of the Appellate Division and include the senior-most High Court judge, the CAG, the PSC chair, one representative each from the leader of the parliament and the leader of the opposition and a civil society representative nominated by the chief justice.
NCC member Iftekharuzzaman elaborated on the proposal.
The application and the verification would be similar to that of the PSC. After the verification, the committee would finalise the list of selected candidates and the president would then appoint them, including at least one woman, for a four-year term.
Parties, including the Jamaat, IAB, Khelafat Majlis, SPB, SPB (Marxist), Communist Party of Bangladesh, National Citizen Party, AB Party and Jatiya Gano Front, supported the ACC as a constitutional body.
However, LDP secretary general Redwan Ahmed warned that constitutionalising the ACC could limit the legislative flexibility over the body. NPP president Fariduzzaman Farhad, among others, also opposed the proposal.
The issue was adjourned for further discussion.
Later, the NCC brought up the issue of the selection of a caretaker government’s chief adviser for discussion.
Jamaat nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher suggested that the proposed five-member selection committee would take the decision on a 4-1 majority, or apply an open ballot in ranked-choice method before considering the provisions for the caretaker government guided by the constitution’s 13th amendment.
According to the 13th amendment, the president appoints the last-retired chief justice as the chief adviser.
BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed repeated his party’s opposition to the ranked-choice method and requested that the matter be finalised in the next parliament.
Later in a press briefing, NCC vice-chair Ali Riaz requested the parties to prepare for finalising the issue by today.
He also said that the Foreign Service Academy authorities were requested to investigate a fire alarm at 12:20pm on Monday.
No consensus yet on appointment of PSC, ACC, CA
Staff Correspondent 29 July, 2025, 00:24
Political parties on Monday received the draft of the ‘July National Charter 2025’, prepared by the National Consensus Commission, which would bind the parties to implement the consensus-based reforms within two years after the formation of the parliament.
On the day, 30 parties attended the 20th session of the NCC’s second-round dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka and discussed the appointment procedures for the proposed three Public Service Commissions, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the decision-making process of the selection committee for the caretaker government. However, no consensus was reached on the issues.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party walked out of the dialogue for a while to abstain from discussing the appointment procedures.
Regarding the charter’s draft, the NCC vice-chair Professor Ali Riaz said the charter would contain the consensus-based reforms and the parties’ endorsement.
He requested the parties to come up with their feedback on the draft by Wednesday as the commission had earlier decided to conclude its dialogue by July 31.
The draft charter obliges the signatory parties to restore democratic accountability, uphold the rule of law, and reform state institutions.
As per a 7-point endorsement declaration, the signatories will pledge to honour the sacrifices of thousands of people during the July 2024 uprising and uphold the charter as a shared moral obligation.
The charter would mention the background of the reforms, including the history of the six reform commissions and the NCC.
During the session, the NCC presented a formula for the appointment of top officials to the PSC and the ACC, the Comptroller and Auditor General, and the Ombudsman.
As proposed, the constitution’s article 137 would be amended or omitted while three PSCs would be formed with a chair and seven members each.
To appoint top PSC officials, a seven-member selection committee would be formed, headed by the speaker of parliament. Other members would include the deputy speaker, the chief whips of the ruling and the opposition parties, a lawmaker representing the second opposition party, and the chairs of the parliamentary standing committees on education and public administration.
As proposed, the president would appoint the PSC chair and members for a five-year term, based on the committee’s recommendations.
Ninety days before the current officials’ terms expire, the committee would issue a public call for applications, including a letter of interest and a biodata, as defined by the law.
The committee would then vet candidates and make appointments based on a two-thirds majority decision.
Laws enacted by the parliament would define the eligibility criteria, code of conduct, age limit, accountability measures, and rules for resignation and reappointment of the PSC officials.
Political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Nijam e Isami Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Amar Bangladesh Party, Ganosamhati Andolan, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Gano Forum, with additional suggestions, supported the NCC proposal.
On the other hand, the BNP refrained from discussing the issue while its like-minded allies, including the Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jote, National Democratic Party, National People’s Party, Liberal Democratic Party, opposed the proposal, saying that the appointment procedure for the PSC should be guided by laws.
The NCC vice-chair said that the commission would present a refined proposal in a couple of days.
Later, the NCC proposed that the status of the statutory ACC would be changed to a constitutional body.
A separate seven-member selection and evaluation committee was proposed for appointing top ACC officials.
The committee would be chaired by the second most senior judge of the Appellate Division and include the senior-most High Court judge, the CAG, the PSC chair, one representative each from the leader of the parliament and the leader of the opposition and a civil society representative nominated by the chief justice.
NCC member Iftekharuzzaman elaborated on the proposal.
The application and the verification would be similar to that of the PSC. After the verification, the committee would finalise the list of selected candidates and the president would then appoint them, including at least one woman, for a four-year term.
Parties, including the Jamaat, IAB, Khelafat Majlis, SPB, SPB (Marxist), Communist Party of Bangladesh, National Citizen Party, AB Party and Jatiya Gano Front, supported the ACC as a constitutional body.
However, LDP secretary general Redwan Ahmed warned that constitutionalising the ACC could limit the legislative flexibility over the body. NPP president Fariduzzaman Farhad, among others, also opposed the proposal.
The issue was adjourned for further discussion.
Later, the NCC brought up the issue of the selection of a caretaker government’s chief adviser for discussion.
Jamaat nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher suggested that the proposed five-member selection committee would take the decision on a 4-1 majority, or apply an open ballot in ranked-choice method before considering the provisions for the caretaker government guided by the constitution’s 13th amendment.
According to the 13th amendment, the president appoints the last-retired chief justice as the chief adviser.
BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed repeated his party’s opposition to the ranked-choice method and requested that the matter be finalised in the next parliament.
Later in a press briefing, NCC vice-chair Ali Riaz requested the parties to prepare for finalising the issue by today.
He also said that the Foreign Service Academy authorities were requested to investigate a fire alarm at 12:20pm on Monday.
