July Charter being finalised: What parties are thinking of its legal basis

The second phase of the National Consensus Commission's talks ended yesterday, Thursday. The commission is now working on finalising the "July National Charter". However, there is mixed reaction among the political parties regarding the July Charter's legal basis and method of implementation.

According to sources of the consensus commission, the decisions and points of agreement reached during the first phase of discussions aimed at finalising the July Charter have already been sent in writing to the political parties. The outcomes of the second phase will also be sent soon. Based on the parties’ feedback or proposed amendments, the points will be revised accordingly and the July Charter will be finalised as soon as possible. The political parties will then sign the charter.

There may be discussions with the political parties on how the July Charter will be implemented. The consensus commission may take a decision on this matter tomorrow, Sunday, according to sources.

Following the commission’s discussions on Thursday, its vice chairman, Professor Ali Riaz, said that a complete version of the July National Charter will be prepared within the next few days. It will then be handed over to the political parties. On that basis, it will be possible to move forward with signing the charter.

Acknowledging that questions have been raised about how the July Charter will be implemented, he said the commission has urged the parties to continue discussions among themselves. In this regard, the commission will act as a facilitator. Beyond that, further deliberations will be held, coordinating all parties as needed, to determine the method of implementation. But before that, a complete version of the National Charter is needed. The Commission will work on that over the coming days. Only after that can discussions on implementation begin.

BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed expressed hope that the "July National Charter" will materialise very soon. He told Prothom Alo, “Whenever it is finalised and sent to us, we will sign it. We are committed to the nation that this charter must be implemented.”

Salahuddin Ahmed represented BNP in the consensus commission dialogue. He also spoke about the July Charter during a programme in Chattogram yesterday, Friday. When asked by journalists how the charter would be implemented, he said, “All political parties have pledged to implement the recommendations of the July Charter within two years. We have committed to making the necessary amendments to the constitution, laws and regulations to make this possible.”

Jamaat-e-Islami’s nayeb-e-ameer, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, called the lengthy discussions between political parties and the consensus commission on the reform proposals, and the participation of parties from across the spectrum, a very positive development. However, he believes that there remain significant gaps regarding the legal basis of the July Charter and how and when it will be implemented. The commission’s expression of helplessness on this matter, he said, risks undermining the entire process. “Such extended discussions were not necessary merely for consultation,” he said.

Representing Jamaat in the commission’s talks, this leader further told Prothom Alo, “We believe the July Charter can be given a legal foundation. It could be through a legal framework, an ordinance, a referendum or a proclamation. Our demand is that the next election should be held under the framework of this reform.”

National Citizens’ Party (NCP) is also attaching the highest importance to the legal basis of the July Charter. The party’s senior joint convenor, Ariful Islam Adib, told Prothom Alo yesterday, “Whether through a Legal Framework Order, a Constituent Assembly election, or a referendum, there must be a legal foundation for the July Charter. We are open to discussions on which method should be chosen. We have no objection to that.”

The NCP leader added, “BNP is saying they want to give it political recognition, not constitutional recognition. In other words, they do not want to provide a legal basis for the July Charter. If no decision is made regarding its legal foundation, we will reconsider whether we will sign the Charter at all.”

Following the second phase of discussions by the National Consensus Commission, Islami Andolan Bangladesh held a review meeting yesterday, Friday, on the draft of the July Charter. Presided over by the party’s secretary general, Maulana Yunus Ahmad, the meeting condemned the omission of proportional representation (PR) in the lower house of parliament from the agenda of the commission's discussions.

To pursue reforms in various sectors, the consensus commission held discussions with political parties based on 166 key recommendations from six commissions formed to propose an interim government. In the first phase (20 March to 19 May), the commission held separate talks with the parties. Since no consensus was reached on about 20 fundamental reform proposals in the first phase, the commission began joint, topic-based discussions with all parties on June 3, which concluded this past Thursday.

In the 23 days of topic-based discussions, consensus and decisions were reached on 19 fundamental reform proposals. Of these, all parties agreed unanimously on 8 issues. The remaining 11 were decided with differing views or comments from various parties.