Reform dialogue resumes; Three left parties stage symbolic walkout
NN Online:
The National Consensus Commission (NCC) resumed its second-round reform dialogue on Wednesday, marking the 18th day of discussions with political parties aimed at finalizing key state reform proposals.
The session began around 11:00am at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, chaired by NCC Vice Chair Professor Ali Riaz.
However, the day’s proceedings opened with a symbolic 10-minute walkout by three left-leaning parties—the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Basod, and Bangladesh Jasod. They staged the protest in condemnation of what they described as the interim government’s “authoritarian behavior” in the aftermath of Monday’s deadly plane crash at Milestone School and College in Diabari, Uttara.
“We are deeply shocked and outraged. The violence against teachers, students, and women that followed the crash echoes the repression we saw under previous autocratic regimes,” said CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince during the protest.
He criticized the government’s response, calling it “grossly irresponsible,” and questioned why advisers rushed to the Uttara crash site but failed to visit Gopalganj following a separate tragic incident.
“It’s the same shadow of autocracy,” he said, accusing one adviser of labeling the Uttara incident as a conspiracy against the government, similar to claims made by Sheikh Hasina during past crises.
Leaders from Basod and Bangladesh Jasod joined and endorsed the walkout.
In response, Professor Ali Riaz acknowledged the protest, saying, “We respect the political and civic rights exercised by the parties. Their concerns have been duly noted, and we believe the government will take them seriously.”
Turning to the dialogue’s main agenda, Prof Riaz urged all participating parties to prepare for intensive back-to-back sessions on Sunday and Monday to conclude discussions before the July 31 deadline.
Key reform topics currently under discussion include forming an appointment committee for five major constitutional institutions.
Over 30 political parties—including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party (NCP)—are participating in the dialogue to present their views on proposed reforms.
The NCC aims to consolidate a unified national position on nearly 20 major constitutional issues through these ongoing talks.
The second phase of dialogue was inaugurated on June 2 by Chief Adviser and Commission Chairman Professor Muhammad Yunus. The NCC was established on February 15, 2025, with the mandate to build national consensus on critical state reform agendas. The first-round dialogue took place from March 20 to May 19.
