The first meeting of the National Consensus Commission, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, scheduled to take place on 15 February, as announced by the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam. Prior to this, reports from six reform commissions have been submitted to the government and their full details are also available online.
Discussions regarding these reform proposals are ongoing among the people. Experts also have provided their opinions, highlighting the positive and negative aspects. Political parties have also expressed their views informally on the proposed reforms. Political parties will be invited to the National Consensus Commission meeting on 15 February, where the Chief Adviser will explain the reform measures undertaken by the interim government.
The fundamental spirit of the 2024 mass uprising was to bring an end to the authoritarian system and establish a democratic framework in Bangladesh. In this context, political parties also believe that obstacles hindering the democratisation of the state structure must be removed. One such example is the caretaker government system. The rise of authoritarianism under the ousted Awami League government was largely due to the suppression of people’s voting rights. They conducted three consecutive elections through coercive means.
Furthermore, some fundamental reforms are essential within the state structure, including the concentration of power in the hands of individuals, the merging of the government with the ruling party, executive interference in the judiciary and the suppression of press freedom. This concentration of power has not only been a feature of the previous government but has persisted since the country’s independence.
Against this backdrop, all political parties have expressed their support for the government’s reform proposals. However, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and several other parties argue that they have already put forward similar reform proposals, which do not significantly differ from those proposed by the commissions. At the same time, they contend that an interim government cannot undertake fundamental state reforms. Therefore, they suggest that only minimal reforms should be implemented before holding elections.
It must be remembered that the state belongs to the people and elections are the only legitimate means of seeking their mandate. The responsibility of the interim government is to engage in discussions with political parties and develop an election framework that is acceptable to all. The expectation of both political parties and citizens is that the government will remain neutral regarding election matters. Accordingly, it is the government’s duty to create an environment conducive to meaningful dialogue on elections and reforms.
The indications from the government suggest that preparations are in place to hold elections by December. Now, it is imperative for political parties to reach a broad consensus on key issues. No party should adopt a stance that could jeopardise the entire initiative.
Political parties have previously expressed concerns that past discussions were too brief, preventing them from fully conveying their views. It is hoped that the government will structure its dialogue initiatives in a manner that allows all parties to express their opinions openly.
The nation eagerly awaits a free and fair election and it is expected that a political consensus on the electoral process will gradually ease the prevailing political and social unrest.