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address the nation this afternoon. The speech will be broadcast live on Bangladesh Television, BTV News, and BTV World, according to the chief adviser’s press wing.

Asked yesterday about implementing constitutional reforms under the charter, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, “We need to keep pace with the times, so the advisory council will hold discussions and reach decisions as quickly as possible.”

Contacted on Monday, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said, “We are waiting for the political parties’ decision. If we don’t get it, we will make a decision on November 13 [today].”

Amid raging disagreements over the timing of the referendum, the charter implementation order, and the dissenting notes, the government on November 3 urged the political parties to resolve their differences and reach a unified decision within a week.

It said otherwise it will “act as necessary”. However, the parties remained divided till yesterday.

On the referendum timing, BNP insists it should be held on the same day as the election, while Jamaat-e-Islami wants it earlier.

Jamaat and allies have already launched protests over their five-point demand, including holding the referendum this month and issuing an implementation order for the July charter.

They yesterday warned of an indefinite sit-in until the demands are met.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference at Al Falah Auditorium in the capital’s Moghbazar following a meeting at his party office yesterday, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said, “We want to solve the issues through discussion. We asked for an appointment with the chief adviser. After meeting him, if our demands aren’t fulfilled, we’ll begin an indefinite sit-in in front of his residence [State Guest House Jamuna].”

National Citizen Party Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary expressed solidarity with Jamaat over its demand for a July charter implementation order.

Both parties want an order to give the charter legal recognition, with NCP specifically demanding that the chief adviser, rather than the president, issue it.

Meanwhile, BNP demands keeping the notes of dissent in the implementation process, while both Jamaat and NCP prefer that the notes be excluded.

The July National Charter, signed by 25 parties including the BNP and Jamaat on October 17, states that any party or alliance submitting dissenting views must include them in its manifesto and may act on them if it wins the polls.

Submitting its recommendations on the charter implementation on October 28, the National Consensus Commission dropped the section on dissent.

Various parties issued the dissenting notes on over 25 of the 48 constitutional reform proposals during the consensus talks.

BNP alone did so on at least nine issues. It opposed a constitutional order for the charter’s implementation.

The party also rejected the proposal that if the reform council fails to complete reforms within 270 days of its first sitting, the reform bill, once approved by referendum, would automatically be inserted into the constitution.

It termed the idea “wholly irrational, politically motivated, and absurd,” saying no bill can become law without parliamentary passage and presidential assent.

Speaking virtually at a discussion marking the National Revolution and Solidarity Day at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre yesterday, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman said, “Our position is very clear: the commitments made in the July charter, which we signed, will be fully upheld by BNP, and we remain strongly committed to fulfilling them.”