Consensus reached on implementing non-constitutional recommendations through ordinances, rules
Explaining the ongoing process, he said, “We formed a panel of experts to deliberate on the implementation of the July Charter. The panel included two former judges, three lawyers, and a law professor”
Following a meeting with political parties today (11 September), National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz said political parties and the commission had reached consensus on two points regarding the implementation process of the July Charter.
The first consensus is that issues in the recommendations not related to the constitution can be implemented by the interim government through ordinances. Secondly, matters that can be implemented through government orders or rules by relevant authorities can also be executed accordingly.
Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy's Doel Hall in Dhaka after the discussions, Ali Riaz mentioned that the government and authorities have already begun to implement some recommendations through ordinances and other necessary steps.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
He hoped that consensus could also be reached on how to implement constitutional recommendations. With that in mind, the commission will sit with the political parties again on Sunday, he said.
He said that the final draft of the July Charter was being sent to the parties later yesterday. He noted that the charter reflects the views of all parties involved.
The commission has requested that each political party submit the names of two representatives authorised to sign the charter by 5 pm on 13 September.
Today's discussions included representatives from a total of 30 political parties including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gono Samhati Andolan, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Revolutionary Workers Party, and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party. The Commission will sit with them again at 2:30 pm on Sunday.
We speak of changes, but why not a new constitution: Akhtar
NCP Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain pointed out that 19 of the reform proposals are directly linked to the constitution, but no consensus has yet been reached on how to implement them. He argued that only a new constitution could sustainably implement those proposals.
Calling upon BNP, Jamaat, and all political parties, Akhtar asked, "We have proposed so many constitutional changes; so why can we not speak openly about a new constitution? This is a question we must ask ourselves. If we fail to make the reforms sustainable, how will we answer to those who were martyred in the 2024 uprising?"
Akhtar said his party's demands for a Constituent Assembly election and a new constitution are not complicated but matters of political decision.
"If the political parties decide that a Constituent Assembly election will be held, preparations could be made to organise it not in February, but as early as December," he said after the meeting with the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy.
Akhtar said the July Charter will consist of two parts: one containing consensus points and another laying out the implementation process as a separate document.
