Consensus near on caretaker govt framework Says Dr Riaz
Staff Reporter :
The Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, Professor Dr Ali Riaz, announced on Sunday that political stakeholders have reached an agreement on reinstating the caretaker government system in Bangladesh.
Speaking at the opening of the 15th day of the commission’s second-phase dialogue with political parties, held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Dr Riaz said, “We have all been part of the 14-year-long struggle to restore the caretaker government system. Today, we reached a consensus on its reintroduction.”
Dr Riaz expressed optimism about the next phase of the process, stating that the focus now lies on finalising the structure and operational framework of the system.
“Not only do we hope for this outcome, we believe it is achievable. Our aim is to prepare the ‘July Charter’ by 31 July,” he said.
He added that all participating parties share the common goal of completing the national charter within the month.
While consensus has been achieved on several key points, Dr Riaz acknowledged that some issues remain under discussion. These, he said, would be addressed through continued dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders.
Sunday’s session saw participation from representatives of 30 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens’ Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gana Sanghati, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), the Biplobi Workers Party, and the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party.
Among the commission members present were Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, Dr Md Ayub Mia, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Safar Raj Hossain, and Monir Haider, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
The reinstatement of a non-partisan caretaker government system has long been a central demand of opposition parties and sections of civil society, who argue it is essential for ensuring free and fair elections.
With the 31 July deadline approaching, attention is now turning to the commission’s ability to transform this political consensus into a viable and functional electoral framework.