Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is navigating a politically sensitive moment as the National Consensus Commission enters final-stage negotiations on the July National Charter.
Although the interim government has extended the commission’s mandate to 15 September, BNP’s enthusiastic backing of the charter – and its call for swift implementation – has attracted criticism from both allies and rivals over its legal enforceability.
The party’s challenge lies in balancing its long-standing support for the charter with growing resistance from some opposition partners, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP).
These parties have hardened their stance, insisting that the charter must be given binding legal status before any election is held. This raises a key dilemma for BNP: whether to demand a legal framework, potentially delaying the polls, or to accept the interim government’s preferred approach of a political pledge to be honoured by the next elected administration.
The draft July Charter requires the post-election government to implement the agreed reform agenda within two years. BNP has endorsed this timetable, but Jamaat and NCP argue that a political commitment is insufficient and insist on a legally enforceable framework with a clear execution mechanism.
Speaking at a voter rally in Dumuria upazila, Khulna, on Wednesday, Jamaat secretary general Mia Golam Porwar warned that holding elections under the current system could lead to “a new form of fascism”.
While acknowledging the July Declaration as a positive step, he said reforms must precede any vote to avoid “betrayal of the people”, calling for the charter’s legal adoption under a non-partisan caretaker government before polls are held.
The Dumuria rally, organised by Jamaat’s local unit, focused on legalising the charter and ensuring a neutral election process.
The National Consensus Commission, chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and vice-chaired by constitutional reform scholar Professor Ali Riaz, was established on 12 February with a six-month mandate to prepare the charter and accompanying reform proposals.
Initially due to conclude its work by 15 August, the commission’s tenure was extended to accommodate further discussions on implementation.
Following two rounds of dialogue with political parties, the commission finalised 82 reform proposals. Eleven of the 20 key reforms were adopted by consensus in the second phase, with the remaining nine approved by majority vote. BNP submitted dissenting opinions on seven, while Jamaat dissented on one. These reforms form the basis of the July Charter, but their method of implementation remains unresolved.
On Friday, the commission stated that the implementation strategy would be determined through expert advice and party negotiations. Consultations began on Sunday with constitutional and legal specialists, considering options such as a national referendum, seeking an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court, invoking special measures under exceptional circumstances, or issuing ordinances to give the charter legal force. Experts cautioned that ordinances cannot amend the constitution, meaning some reforms would require more complex procedures.
BNP’s standing committee discussed the issue on Monday evening. The party supports extending the commission’s term and is prepared to participate actively in the final talks.
Its position is that non-constitutional reforms could be enacted immediately through executive orders or ordinances, while those requiring constitutional amendments should be handled by the next elected parliament.
Meanwhile, NCP convenor Nahid Islam reiterated on Tuesday that his party would make “no concessions” on the July Charter. “The next election must be based on the charter. The interim government cannot step down without fulfilling its promises, and no incoming government can take office without doing so,” he told a city gathering.
