Staff Reporter:
National Consensus Commission Vice President Professor Ali Riaz said on Friday that Bangladesh stands at the threshold of a political transformation, citing the 2024 mass uprising as a turning point for reform.
He was addressing a press briefing organised by the National Consensus Commission at the LD Hall of the National Parliament Building in the capital.
Commission members Justice Md Emdadul Haque, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain and Dr Md. Ayub Miah and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Monir Haidar were present.
Ali Riaz said, “A major opportunity has emerged to bring change to Bangladesh’s political landscape. To seize this opportunity, we have continued discussions on key issues of state reform with utmost transparency.”
He added: “I think the commission has been able to reach a certain stage; the commission will discuss its management and process with experts and the political parties will hold discussions with the government”.
He revealed that in the Commission’s initial phase of dialogue with political parties, consensus was reached on 62 issues. In the second phase, out of 20 issues, 11 had no dissenting opinions or notes of dissent, while the remaining 9 were decided with notes of dissent, he added.
Responding to a question about the influence of members of parliament on local governance, Ali Riaz said, “This influence is not legally valid. The way MPs are involved in local-level activities is not appropriate. Among the 62 consensus issues, there is a specific proposal to regulate MPs’ influence in local government”.
When asked about the future of issues with notes of dissent after finalising the National Charter, he said, “In such cases, expert opinions will be sought to understand global practices and real-world experiences that could make the notes of dissent meaningful. Additionally, the significance of consensus among a large majority of political parties must be considered”.
Regarding some political parties’ statements about holding the next election based on the National Charter, Ali Riaz clarified, “The Consensus Commission is not involved in the election process. The Commission has proposed drafting the National Charter in July through consensus with political parties. It will hold further discussions with experts and political parties for its implementation. These discussions will not be prolonged”.
He concluded by saying that the government will take the next steps based on consultations with experts and political parties.
The press briefing, held marking the anniversary of the interim government, also announced that the Commission will resume discussions with political parties on how to implement its reform proposals and the obligations surrounding the signing of the July Charter.
