When they didn’t even utter ‘reforms’, Khaleda Zia had proposed vision 2030: BNP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said his party is not against reforms, rather BNP itself is a party of reforms.

"The public is at the centre of everything. So, everything should be done with the consent of the people," Nazrul Islam Khan said this at the beginning of BNP’s discussion with the National Consensus Commission today, Thursday morning.

The discussion between BNP and the National Consensus Commission on key recommendations about reforms began at around 10:30 am today in the LD Hall of the National Parliament.

Nazrul Islam said, “We told the chief adviser yesterday, Wednesday that BNP is not against reforms. BNP itself is a party of reforms. However, some people are saying different things. When they had not even uttered the word ‘reforms’, Khaleda Zia had proposed Vision 2030.”

Highlighting the long history of struggle and movement for democracy, Nazrul Islam Khan said, “Another opportunity has arisen before us, and we want to utilise this. We are cooperating with this commission and this government with that same expectation.”

Even if there is no charter finalised for the consensus commission, Nazrul Islam Khan said that there is a charter of reform already prepared by BNP.

He said the public is at the centre of everything and everything should be done with the consent of the people.

He also said, “And we all know through whom the people give their consent.”

BNP standing committee members Salahuddin Ahmed, Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP chairperson’s advisor Ismail Zabiullah, barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, and former secretary Niruzzaman Khan participated in the discussion.

According to sources in the consensus commission, the discussion may continue throughout the day today. If the discussion does not conclude today, the commission if necessary will hold another discussion with the BNP next week.

At the beginning of the discussion, president of the National Consensus Commission, Professor Ali Riaz said, “Our goal is to create a national charter so that we can establish a permanent democratic system in Bangladesh.”

The National Consensus Commission, led by chief adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus began work on 15 February with the goal of building a national consensus about reforms.

In the first phase, the consensus commission sought the views of political parties on 166 key recommendations proposed by the reform commissions on constitution, public administration, electoral system, judiciary and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The recommendations were sent to 38 political parties in the form of a spreadsheet.

The parties were asked to give their opinions by 13 March. Based on their opinions, the consensus commission has already started discussions separately with the political parties. The consensus commission will prepare a national charter through discussions with the political parties, and the next national parliamentary elections will be held based on that.