Reform talks: Prof Riaz urges unity among political parties and allies

NN Online:

National Consensus Commission Vice Chairman Prof Ali Riaz on Sunday called on political parties to engage their like-minded allies in building common ground on key reform issues, urging cooperation to overcome differences.

Speaking at the opening session of a dialogue between the National Consensus Commission and a 12-party alliance, Prof Riaz said, “We believe you can talk to others, encourage your friendly political forces, and help bridge divides to reach a shared understanding.”

The meeting, chaired by Prof Riaz, began at 10:05am at the LD Hall in the Jatiya Sangsad Complex. An 11-member delegation attended, led by Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) Chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider and Bangladesh LDP’s Shahadat Hossain Salim.

“We don’t expect this dialogue alone to achieve national consensus,” said Prof Riaz. “Our role is to act as a catalyst, and this is part of that effort.”

While acknowledging that parties have submitted reform proposals, he stressed that compromise is essential. “We won’t agree on everything, but we must find common ground on fundamental issues to move the country forward,” he said.

He emphasized that forging national consensus is not the commission’s responsibility alone. “Those in the political arena must also engage their allies and others to help unify efforts,” he added.

The discussion was also attended by Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, and Dr Mohammad Ayub Miah, and moderated by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider.

The Commission began its dialogue series on March 20 to build a national consensus on state reform initiatives by the interim government. So far, it has met with 23 parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party (NCP).