Abu Jakir :
The National Consensus Commission has concluded its five-day round of talks with political parties without reaching an agreement on the timing and method of a referendum to implement the July National Charter.
Despite broad consensus on the need for a public vote, parties remain divided over whether the referendum should be held before or alongside the next general election.
Commission officials said on Wednesday that it will now consult legal and constitutional experts and compile its final recommendations for the interim government within the next couple of days.
The meeting also confirmed that the July National Charter 2025 will be formally signed on October 15 at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, with Chief Adviser and Commission Chairman Professor Muhammad Yunus leading the historic ceremony. Representatives from all major political parties and alliances are expected to attend.
The final day of political consultations took place at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka from 3 pm to around 11:15 pm, broadcast live on BTV News.
The discussions revealed a clear division among the parties: the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and several smaller groups—including the Revolutionary Workers Party, Bangladesh Jasad, and Nationalist Unity Alliance—insisted that the referendum be held on the same day as the general election, while the Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizens’ Party (NCP) argued for holding it before the election.
No consensus was reached on what the referendum question should be or how differing proposals in the July Charter would be implemented.
The deadlock has delayed the final adoption of the Charter, which incorporates 84 reform proposals compiled from six different reform commissions.
At the start of Wednesday’s session, Commission Vice-Chair Professor Ali Riaz urged party representatives to provide specific opinions on the timing and mechanism of the referendum.
However, despite extended debate, parties largely reiterated their earlier positions, leading to another stalemate.
BNP’s position
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed reiterated his party’s stance that the referendum should coincide with the national election to save both time and resources.
“There is very little time before the general election. Holding a separate nationwide referendum beforehand would be an enormous undertaking and could delay the election,” he said.
Ahmed proposed that instead of issuing a constitutional order, the government could publish a proclamation authorizing a referendum ordinance based on the July Charter.
“If the people approve the Charter in a referendum, the next parliament will be obliged to implement it,” he said. He also emphasized that all differing opinions among parties should be recorded in the Charter, and each party should reflect its positions in its election manifesto.
Jamaat and NCP’s position
Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad argued that the referendum should be held in early or mid-November, before the election.
“If the referendum and election are held on the same day, it will create unnecessary complications,” he said, warning against excluding fundamental reform proposals from the Charter to appease any side. Jamaat’s legal representative Shishir Monir proposed enacting a Special Constitutional Order to formalize the Charter and authorize the referendum.
He also suggested that the next parliament should have dual powers—both ordinary legislative and constituent—during its first session to ensure the sustainability of the reforms.
The National Citizens’ Party (NCP), which initially supported holding the referendum on election day, later shifted its stance in favor of a pre-election referendum.
NCP Joint Convenor Jabed Rasin said that an implementing order must first be issued, followed by the referendum based on that order.
He cautioned against a rushed or symbolic vote that might undermine the legitimacy of the reforms. “We must make the reform process durable and beyond future dispute,” he said.
During the discussion, Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna urged BNP and Jamaat to hold direct talks to narrow their differences.
Leaders from Rastriyo Songskar Andolon and Gonosanghoti Andolon, including Hasnat Kaiyum and Jonayed Saki, also proposed that parties continue informal discussions outside the commission to build greater consensus.
By the end of the talks, it became clear that while the framework of the July Charter has been finalized, its implementation mechanism remains unresolved.
As political parties remain divided, the National Consensus Commission does not intend to include a specific recommendation in its report on whether the referendum for implementing the July National Charter should be held on the day of the national election or earlier.
According to commission sources, the panel is considering leaving the decision on the timing of the referendum to the interim government, although a final decision on this matter has not yet been made.
