Differences of opinion, distrust, and procedural complications have emerged among political parties regarding the draft of the July Charter. Notably, several parties, including the NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have raised strong objections to the draft.
The divergence in views over the July Charter has rendered the process of building national consensus increasingly uncertain. Politicians suspect that these disagreements may be part of a strategy to delay the national parliamentary elections.
Discussions between political parties and the National Consensus Commission are nearing completion. However, fundamental disagreements are becoming more apparent at this stage. The BNP wants discussions in parliament on forming a caretaker government if consensus is not reached and does not support a ranking system for selecting such a government. The party believes appointments to constitutional institutions should be made through executive laws. Nonetheless, the BNP views the draft of the July Charter positively.
The Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP have strongly opposed the BNP’s proposals. Jamaat has described the draft of the July Charter as incomplete. Furthermore, the party considers the proposal to implement the charter within two years by an elected government as dangerous. According to Jamaat, the July Charter should be implemented either by issuing an ordinance or through a referendum.
Meanwhile, the NCP has stated that unless there is clarity on how the July Charter will be implemented, the party will reconsider whether to sign it.
According to political analysts, the noble initiative of establishing national consensus is now being undermined by principled disagreements, legal uncertainties, and mutual distrust. On one hand, there is the pressure of time, and on the other, procedural disunity—together pushing the entire process toward an unstable and divided outcome. They argue that no consensus can be effective without a legal framework. If the parties cannot agree on structural matters such as constitutional amendments, referendums, or ordinances, the July Charter may become a document of “national division” rather than “national consensus.”
One political observer noted that consensus cannot be imposed—it must be built. And to build it, time, transparency, and trust are essential. All three are currently in short supply. In this context, whether a functional and acceptable final charter can be published by July 31 has become the most pressing political question.
BNP agrees with draft of July Charter
According to the draft of the July Charter sent by the Consensus Commission to political parties, the agreed-upon issues must be implemented within two years. BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said his party has no objections to this. He stated, “What we have received is a draft titled July National Charter. It contains an introduction, but not detailed content. We are generally in agreement with this draft.”
Regarding the commitments outlined in the draft, he said, “We agree with the commitment sought in the draft to implement the promises within two years. We want appointments to constitutional and statutory institutions to be made through legislation. This would make it easier to amend any legal flaws. For effective state governance, an active executive branch is necessary. However, that executive must be kept in check and balance.”
The BNP leader further stated that the more issues are added to the constitution, the more complicated it becomes to amend. “Therefore, we want institutions to be strengthened through laws, which can then be amended as needed,” he said.
On BNP’s position regarding female representation, Salahuddin Ahmed said, “In the first phase, we proposed nominating women in 5% of the 300 seats in the upcoming election—that is, 15 seats. In the subsequent election, this will increase to 10%, or 30 seats.”
He added, “We want women to be elected through direct elections. But considering social realities, we prefer to proceed step by step.”
Regarding the more than 700 recommendations made by the Reform Commission, Salahuddin Ahmed stated that BNP agrees with around 650 of them. The party has provided suggestions or revised proposals for the remainder.
He said, “Not all proposals will be included in the charter. However, fundamental ones, such as those related to constitutional amendments, will certainly be prioritized.”
Some parts of July Charter Dangerous, says Jamaat
Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, has stated that the draft of the July Charter is incomplete and that some of its sections are dangerous. “This is merely a sample; there has been a mistake. If this is just a sample, then there is no need for comment. However, if this represents the core content, it is unacceptable,” he said. Jamaat is preparing its own draft charter, which will be submitted to the commission. The issues on which consensus is being reached during the dialogue must have a legal foundation, he added. A legal framework may be established through an ordinance, which can later be ratified by an elected parliament—or alternatively, a referendum may be held to obtain final approval from the public.
NCP won't sign July Charter
National Citizens’ Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain told journalists that without a foundation of fundamental reforms, his party will not sign the July Charter. “It must have a legal basis, so that a future government cannot deviate from its core spirit. Most parties agree on the caretaker government system, while BNP and a few others have expressed disagreement,” he said.
Asked for his opinion, Bangladesh JASAD’s General Secretary Nazmul Haque Prodhan told BanglaNews: “It cannot be guaranteed that there will be consensus on all issues. Some disagreements may exist on certain points. In a democracy, differing views and disagreements are natural. That’s the essence of democracy. However, if it becomes impossible to proceed due to disagreements, then that is a bigger problem. That would mean democracy is not functioning.”
He continued, “When it comes to elections, the government’s goodwill must come first. Public doubt over elections has existed for a long time, and this doubt is growing. This doubt must be addressed first. The people do not believe that the government has goodwill regarding elections. The uncertainty around elections has been created by the government itself. Jamaat and the NCP are also involved. Together, they have all contributed to the public’s mistrust regarding elections. Now it is their responsibility to resolve this mistrust.”
In this regard, Bazlur Rashid Ratan, Joint General Secretary of the BSD (Bangladesh Socialist Party), told BanglaNews: “Whether consensus is reached on the July Charter or not has no relation to the election. The charter is a pledge to be implemented by the next government. If the charter is portrayed as being opposed to elections, that would be unfortunate. We are hearing some people frame it as reform versus election, or justice versus election. That cannot be the approach. If someone believes that only their view must prevail, then there can be no solution.”
He added, “Currently, two trends can be observed: one is to cast doubt on the election, and the other is to prolong the election process. We must move away from this stance. If there is an attempt to step back from the election, the situation will not improve. Over the past year, the people of the country have come to understand that power must be handed over to an elected government.”
