FROM PAGE 1

Formed in mid-February, the consensus commission was tasked with reviewing and adopting proposals from six major reform bodies covering the constitution, judiciary, electoral system, Anti-Corruption Commission, and public administration.

After two rounds of discussions with political parties, the consensus commission drafted 84 proposals, half involving constitutional reforms. BNP and its like minded parties had issued notes of dissent on at least nine issues.

On September 10, the commission sent the final draft version of the charter to the parties. The next day, it started the third round of talks with parties on the ways of implementation of the charter.

During the talks, the parties reached a consensus that non-constitutional reforms will be enacted via ordinances and executive orders, and a referendum will be held on reforms requiring constitutional changes.

They, however, failed to agree on the timing, procedures, and framework of the referendum.

The commission will now combine expert and party opinions to prepare a set of recommendations for the charter’s implementation and submit it separately to the interim government after the signing ceremony on October 17, a commission source said.

“No further opinions will be taken from the political parties. The final version is basically the same as the previous final draft, with minor language corrections,” the source said.

The ceremony will take place at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus as the chief guest.

Besides the reform issues, the charter seeks pledges from the parties to enshrine the document in the constitution, either as a schedule or in another appropriate place.

It seeks commitment that the parties will provide constitutional and state recognition to the people’s 16-year long uninterrupted struggle to establish democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and especially the historical significance of the July mass uprising of 2024.

The document also commits parties to ensure justice for victims of enforced disappearances, killings and torture during the 16-year struggle against authoritarian rule as well as for all killings during the uprising.

It calls for state recognition of the martyrs, proper assistance to their families, and medical care and rehabilitation for the injured.

The charter outlines a broad framework for reforming the state structure, pledging constitutional amendments, legal changes, and the enactment of new laws where necessary to implement its decisions.

It further stipulates that decisions that are immediately implementable must be carried out without delay by the interim government and relevant authorities.

The July National Charter 2025 is a “tribute to the heroic martyrs and injured of the anti-fascist democratic movement over 16 years and the mass uprising of July–August 2024”, says the charter.

The document stands as a “gesture of sympathy for those arrested and imprisoned, and as an expression of gratitude to all who directly or indirectly took part in that historic uprising”, it adds.

In the preamble, it affirms that the document “reflects the aspirations of the people and must be implemented in full as a consensus outcome achieved through a continuous process”.

It further highlights that the people are the true owners of the state, and their will is the highest law.