United News of Bangladesh

The National Consensus Commission (NCC) will not impose any decisions on its own as it will work out an execution plan based on what political parties want, Commission Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz said on Thursday. He made the remarks as the commission resumed talks in the morning at the Foreign Service Academy with political parties on implementing the July Charter.  “The cooperation the commission has received so far from all political parties has been remarkable,” Prof Riaz said, adding that almost every party has made concessions from its original positions. He went on to say, “This spirit of consensus has enabled preliminary agreement on 84 issues. The success of implementing reforms in these areas will determine Bangladesh’s future trajectory.” NCC assesses various opinions to implement July Charter While some reforms would be undertaken by the interim government, others would be implemented later through elected representatives, said Prof Riaz, adding, “The commission will consult an expert panel to decide which reforms the interim government can pursue immediately but will not dictate actions for elected representatives after polls.” Ahead of Thursday’s dialogue, the NCC reviewed earlier expert opinions and political party feedback on implementation strategies. On September 7, the commission held an extensive meeting with experts to finalise the charter and assess execution methods. Multiple informal talks with parties and alliances had also been conducted prior to the formal session.

Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz on Wednesday said there is no disagreement among political parties regarding the reinstatement of the caretaker government system. “There is a clear and specific consensus on this issue (caretaker issue),” he told reporters during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, following the eighth day of the second phase of dialogues between the Commission and political parties. Ali Riaz said discussions on the formation, structure and jurisdiction of the caretaker government took place today, with political parties moving significantly closer through open and detailed dialogue. Ali Riaz hopeful of consensus on ‘July Charter’ by mid-July Apart from the caretaker issue, the demarcation of electoral constituencies was also discussed. “On this matter too, a notable consensus has been reached,” he said. He said the parties agreed on taking both immediate and long-term measures for constituency delimitation. As an immediate measure, an expert committee — comprising individuals with appropriate expertise —will be formed (or modified if already in place) with assistance from the Election Commission to determine parliamentary constituencies for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, based on the committee’s recommendations. On long-term arrangements, Riaz said a provision will be added to the end of Article 119(1)(g) of the Constitution—after the word “and”—stating that “an expert committee will be formed by law” to revise parliamentary boundaries after every census or within a maximum of 10 years. The structure and responsibilities of this committee will be defined by amending Section 8(3) of the National Parliament (Constituency Demarcation) Act, 2021, revised in 2025. Representatives from 30 political parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens’ Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Ganasamhati Andolon, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Revolutionary Workers Party, and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, took part in today’s dialogue. Commission members present at the dialogue included Justice Md Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Md Aiyub Miah and Monir Haidar, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser. Ali Riaz seeks consensus on appointments to constitutional bodies Wednesday’s discussions also covered the appointment process of constitutional and statutory bodies and the election procedure for an upper chamber. The next round of talks with political parties will be held on Thursday (July 3) at 10:30am.

Vice-Chair of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz said on Thursday that efforts will be made to reach a consensus on the presidential election process and the scope of executive powers at the very beginning of today’s discussions with political parties. “If any issues remain unresolved today, further discussions will be held next week,” he said in his opening remarks during the second round of talks at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. “We are short on time. Everyone must come to a consensus as soon as possible so that the July Charter can be finalised within this month. The Commission faces many limitations. Despite these, we need everyone’s cooperation to make the discussions fruitful,” Ali Riaz said. Today’s dialogue will deal with unresolved matters from the previous day. The primary topics of the fourth day’s discussions include the term of the Prime Minister, the Constitution and the fundamental principles of the state and the delineation of electoral constituencies. Consensus Commission seeks final decision on NCC in today’s meeting: Ali Riaz Nearly 30 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), and Jamaat-e-Islami, joined today’s talks. Representing the BNP in the dialogue is its Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed. The NCP is represented by its chief organiser for the southern region, Hasnat Abdullah, while Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher is attending on behalf of his party.  

The National Consensus Commission (NCC) aims to reach a final decision on the National Constitutional Council (NCC) during Wednesday’s meeting with political parties. At the start of the second day of the commission’s second phase of discussions, being held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, Prof Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz made the remarks. “Today, we will discuss the District Coordination Council. During the preliminary stage of the Constitution Reform Commission’s discussions, several alternative proposals emerged. We expect to make significant progress on this issue today. I will be most pleased if we can come to a decision on the NCC today. That would greatly assist our work moving forward,” he said. Professor Riaz went on to say, “The most urgent matter is to reach a consensus through consultations with all stakeholders before making any decisions. Our time is limited. By mid-July, we must finalise a national charter, after which signatures from all parties will be required.” Consensus Commission resumes talks with parties; Jamaat joins second day He also urged the political leaders present to avoid repetition during discussions to ensure the meeting’s efficiency. The agenda for today’s meeting includes concluding previously unfinished discussions, the National Constitutional Council (NCC), and the presidential election. The National Consensus Commission announced that discussions will continue tomorrow (Thursday- June 19). Political parties such as BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Islami Andolan, Nagorik Oikko, Gan Adhikar Parishad, and Gan Songhoti Andolon, among others, joined the talks.

The National Consensus Commission resumed its Wednesday’s session under the second phase of dialogue with the country’s political parties, with Jamaat-e-Islami joining the discussions on the second day. The meeting began at 11:29 am at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, with Commission’s Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz in the chair. Jamaat, which did not participate in Tuesday’s session, was represented today by its central assistant secretary generals Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, and central executive council member Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher. When asked why the party skipped the first day, Rafiqul Islam Khan told reporters, “I’ll explain the reason later -- not now.” Wednesday’s agenda includes concluding unfinished discussions from previous rounds, alongside talks on the formation of a proposed National Constitutional Council (NCC) and the procedure for the presidential election. Consensus Commission biased towards particular party, allege NCP, Nur The Commission said the dialogue will continue on Thursday (June 19). Along with BNP, other political parties attending today’s session include the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Nagorik Oikya, Gono Adhikar Parishad and Gonosonghoti Andolon. The ongoing talks are aimed at building broader political consensus on key constitutional and electoral issues.

Most political parties on Tuesday reached a consensus on keeping 100 seats aside for women in the next national parliament, said Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz. Talking to reporters after the day’s session of the commission, Riaz said there was no significant opposition, apart from one or two parties, to the idea of increasing the number of reserved seats for women. He, however, said discussions are still going on regarding the method by which women will be elected to these reserved positions. "After an entire day of discussion, we have yet to reach a decision regarding the mechanism of women's representation in these seats. It would be unrealistic to expect a decision on such an important issue in just one day. We hope to finalise the matter within the next week," Ali Riaz said. He highlighted that nearly all political parties agreed on amending Article 70 to allow MPs to express independent opinions, except in cases of money bills and votes of confidence. Besides, Ali Riaz said there was unanimous agreement on appointing opposition members to chair several key parliamentary standing committees — namely Public Accounts, Privileges, Estimation, and Public Undertakings. DMP urges political parties to avoid road protests on working days Parties also agreed to ensure proportional representation for the opposition in other parliamentary roles. Regarding the process of appointing the Chief Justice, Riaz said, "Most political parties are in favour of amending the Constitution in this regard. But, there are disagreements over the procedural changes required for the appointment. A final decision on this matter is yet to be reached." On the proposal for a bicameral legislature, Dr Riaz said many parties are still not in agreement in principle, suggesting the need for further discussion. Talks also included the idea of allocating 100 seats in the proposed upper house, he added. About the allegations of favouritism towards the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) and Gono Odhikar Parishad, Ali Riaz said the commission is striving to maintain neutrality and work collectively with all political parties on matters of national importance.

Vice-Chair of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz on Tuesday said efforts are underway to finalise the ‘July Charter’ by the end of this month following discussions with political parties. Speaking at the opening of the second phase of talks with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy, Prof Riaz emphasised the need for a spirit of compromise among all stakeholders. “Not all political parties may agree on every issue, but everyone must continue the dialogue with willingness to compromise,” he said. Although informal discussions resumed before Eid, Tuesday marked the beginning of formal talks between the commission and representatives from various political parties. Representatives from 30 political parties, including the BNP and NCPC, are participating in this phase. Prof Yunus hopes for consensus-based ‘July Charter’ by next month Key agenda items include Article 70 of the Constitution, women’s representation in Parliament, nomination of standing committee chairpersons, the proposal for a bicameral legislature and the appointment process of the Chief Justice. Ali Riaz informed that discussions would continue for the next three consecutive days. He also noted that the commission is open to continuing talks even on weekends, should the political parties agree. Prof Yunus optimistic about finalising excellent ‘July Charter’ through broader consensus The National Consensus Commission has initiated this multi-phase dialogue to build a broad political agreement on key governance and constitutional issues. The proposed ‘July Charter’ is expected to serve as a foundational framework for future reforms.

Political parties are nearing a consensus on several key reform proposals, including the restoration of the caretaker government, introduction of a bicameral parliament and reservation of 100 seats for women in Parliament. Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Monday revealed the Commission's progress in building consensus over the state reform initiatives at a press briefing at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex here.  Tarique Rahman expects most credible election soon under Dr Yunus “There is no disagreement among the political parties over restoration of the caretaker government,” he said. Prof Ali Riaz said most of the political parties opined for not to keep ‘pluralism’ alongside ‘equity, human dignity, social justice and democracy’ as the basic principles of the state in the Constitution. “Most of the parties have agreed in principle to form a bicameral parliament. However, some parties have given their opinion for maintaining a unicameral parliament,” he said. But all parties supported a proposal to pick an opposition lawmaker for the post of the Deputy Speaker, said the Commission’s vice chairman. “There is a sort of consensus among the parties for reserving 100 seats for women in the lower house of the parliament. But there is disagreement over its procedure,” said Prof Ali Riaz. Consensus commission members Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Justice Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain and 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.  Rizvi accuses advisers of misleading people on BNP’s election demand 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.

The National Consensus Commission wants to translate the aspirations of the 2024 mass uprising into a concrete form through a national charter, said commission’s Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz on Thursday. “We want to reflect the spirit of national consensus in a national charter so that every political party can play a role in realising its goals and objectives in the future,” he said at a dialogue with Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) in the city. An 11-member BSD delegation, led by its General Secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz, joined the talks at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Chairing the session, Prof Riaz said the initiative (reform initiative) of the National Consensus Commission is rooted in the long expectations of the people of Bangladesh. “The commission wants to give concrete form to the aspirations that were exposed through the 2024 July-August mass uprising,” he said. Structural reforms must to make Bangladesh democratic: Ali Riaz The Consensus Commission Vice Chairman said the current political situation in Bangladesh is the result of prolonged struggles by both the people and political forces. “The people of this country do not want a return of fascism again and again. We want to build a state where equality prevails, citizens' rights are ensured, and differing views are respected,” he added. Prof Riaz said the commission is working to build consensus through discussions with political parties, based on the recommendations of various reform commissions. “This responsibility does not lie with the National Consensus Commission alone. Political parties must move forward by reflecting the aspirations of the people,” he said. Flee of 'fascist ruler' a primary democratic victory: Ali Riaz Commission members Justice Md Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Iftekharuzzaman,and Dr Md Ayub Miah were present in the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider.    

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Monday said the primary victory of democracy has been secured through the fleeing of the fascist ruler during the 2024 July-August uprising. “The initial victory of democracy was ensured by the fleeing of the fascist ruler in the 2024 July-August mass uprising. Now, everyone must move forward with collective efforts to achieve the goal of victory,” he said at a dialogue with Ganatantrik Bam Oikya (an alliance of leftist political parties) at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex. A 20-member delegation, led by coordinator of the alliance and also convener of Social Democratic Party Abul Kalam Azad, joined the talks with the National Consensus Commission. Chairing the discussion, Prof Ali Riaz said the people of Bangladesh have long aspired to establish a democratic state, and their struggles over the last 53 years reflect that enduring desire. “Although that aspiration remains unfulfilled, people have consistently engaged in democratic movements,” he said. Ali Riaz calls for structural reforms to build accountable state Prof Ali Riaz said the National Consensus Commission aims to establish consensus whereas the responsibility of political parties and forces and the civil society in Bangladesh is to maintain the continuity of the democratic struggle and to strengthen this unity to build an accountable state. "We are at a historic juncture. Such an opportunity has never come after the independence (of Bangladesh). So, it is the responsibility of all of us to realise the unfulfilled dream." Consensus Commission members Justice Md Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider.