Staff Reporter :
The July National Charter, a key framework meant to anchor reforms initiated by the interim government, remains stalled due to disagreements among political parties over its implementation mechanism and binding commitments.
The National Consensus Commission (NCC), which has been tasked with finalizing the charter, is now preparing to launch its third phase of talks with political parties next week.
According to commission officials, the upcoming dialogue – the third round since February – will focus specifically on two contentious issues: the “commitment framework” attached to the charter, and the methods by which reform proposals will be legally implemented. While consensus has been reached on 84 reform proposals across six sectors – including constitutional, electoral, civil service, police, judiciary and anti-corruption – political parties remain divided on how these reforms should take effect.
BNP maintains that ordinance powers of the interim government can be used to implement non-constitutional reforms, while amendments to the constitution must await the next elected parliament. Jamaat-e-Islami has argued for reforms to be enacted through either a national referendum or a presidential proclamation. The National Citizen Party (NCP), on the other hand, is pressing for the formation of a Constituent Assembly alongside the next Jatiya Sangsad election, to embed reforms directly into a new constitutional framework.
Some proposals within the 84 agreed reforms have also sparked partial dissent. BNP has lodged “notes of dissent” on key issues such as the restriction on holding multiple executive offices, the proposed electoral system for an upper house, and appointment procedures for constitutional bodies. These disputes have complicated efforts to finalize a unified implementation method.
The Consensus Commission had initially targeted July 16 for the signing of the charter. With that deadline missed, the body is now aiming to complete the process by September 15. “We want the charter finalized by mid-September, but the legal pathway to its implementation is still unresolved,” Professor Ali Riaz, Vice Chairman of the commission, told reporters recently.
Commission insiders said alternative mechanisms are still under discussion, including holding a referendum alongside the national election, formulating a legal framework through ordinances, or relying on a presidential proclamation. These options will be formally placed before political parties in the upcoming dialogue sessions.
Disagreement also lingers over the preamble of the charter – particularly a provision proposed by some parties that would place the July Charter above the constitution and render it immune from judicial challenge. BNP has rejected this as “unreasonable,” while Jamaat has insisted that such a clause is necessary to ensure enforceability. Parties have already submitted written feedback to the commission, which is being reviewed.
The commission held a working meeting on Wednesday at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office, chaired by Vice Chairman Professor Ali Riaz and attended by members Justice Emdadul Huq, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Badiul Alam Majumder, Safar Raj Hossain, and Dr M Aiyub Mia. Monir Haidar, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser and a key figure in the consensus process, was also present. The meeting reviewed feedback from 29 political parties that responded to the draft charter circulated on August 16.
Commission members said their goal remains to finalize a document that balances political demands while ensuring enforceable reforms. “The third round of dialogue will be crucial,” one senior member noted, “because the credibility of both the interim process and the next election hinges on whether the July Charter can move from paper to practice.”
