July Charter clock runs out

Staff Reporter:

“As the submission window closes, most major parties file views on the Charter while seven holdouts risk being sidelined”

The National Consensus Commission (NCC) confirmed on Thursday that 23 political parties have submitted their views on the draft July Charter, a proposed blueprint for constitutional and democratic reforms in Bangladesh. The deadline expired at 3pm, with officials making clear that no further extensions would be allowed.

The process is seen as a key test of how far the country’s parties are willing to engage in shaping the political framework of the post-transition era. Commission sources said the submissions will now be reviewed before a final version is unveiled on 5 August next year.

Among the parties submitting feedback are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Gano Forum, Gano Sanghati Andolan, Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM), Zaker Party, and Bangladesh Labour Party.

Officials said these inputs will be incorporated into the redrafted charter, which had earlier been corrected and re-circulated following errors in the initial draft.

Seven parties, however, failed to meet the deadline, including Nagorik Oikya, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Gano Odhikar Parishad.

Their absence underscores divisions within the political spectrum over the scope and pace of reforms.

“The deadline has now closed and no further time will be granted,” an NCC spokesperson said, underlining the commission’s determination to keep the reform process on schedule.

The July Charter first emerged during nationwide calls for structural reform earlier this year and has since become a focal point for debate over the country’s political future. The document addresses contentious issues such as the electoral system, proportional representation, diaspora voting rights, constitutional checks and balances, and mechanisms to prevent authoritarian overreach.

Political observers note that the breadth of submissions reflects both the opportunities and the challenges of consensus-building in a highly polarised environment. “The commission has secured broad participation, but the absence of several significant parties will raise questions about inclusivity and legitimacy,” one analyst commented.

With more than 20 parties now formally on record, the NCC faces the delicate task of reconciling competing visions into a framework capable of commanding national support. Whether the process can produce genuine consensus-or further entrench divisions-will be closely watched in the months ahead.