Govt will be responsible for decisions beyond July Charter, parties not bound to accept: BNP

If the government announces any decision beyond the commitments stated in the July National Charter, none of the signatory parties will be obliged to accept it, said the BNP.

"The full responsibility for any such move will rest solely with the government. We call upon the government to take cautious steps in this regard," said the party's Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain at a press conference held at BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's Gulshan political office in the capital today. 

Notably, the ball is now in the interim government's court to decide on implementing the July Charter and setting the timing of the proposed referendum, after political parties failed to reach a consensus within the seven-day deadline set earlier.

The BNP organised the briefing to announce the outcomes of its Standing Committee meeting held on 10 November, chaired by the party's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, who joined virtually from the UK.

Mosharraf said the July Charter, based on nearly a year-long talks between political parties and the National Consensus Commission, was signed on 17 October with some notes of dissent from certain parties. All parties pledged to implement the Charter in line with the Constitution and the law.

"Recently, some advisers of the interim government have spoken about taking policy decisions outside the July Charter. Such remarks are misleading and disregard the consensus-based framework that the Charter represents," he said.

The government's decision on the implementation of the charter and the proposed referendum will be announced soon, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Monday. 

"The government says it gave seven days [for a decision on charter implementation method] – but we did not receive any such proposal telling us to do this or that."

Salahuddin Ahmed, member, BNP Standing Committee

According to a senior government official, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will chair a meeting of the advisory council on Thursday to discuss the matter. The final decision is expected to be made at that meeting, with an official announcement likely to follow next week.

At the same event, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said the July Charter was signed at a historic event where different political parties recorded their respective notes of dissent.

"The Charter states clearly that if any party mentions its dissenting points in its election manifesto and later secures the people's mandate, it may implement those dissenting clauses accordingly. We are in full agreement on this, and we have not moved away from that position," he added.

He said the recommendations submitted by the National Consensus Commission to the government for the implementation of the charter did not include the dissenting clauses.

Salahuddin criticised certain political parties for "creating new and unjustified issues" in the name of implementing the July Charter. "If the government makes any decision beyond what is written in the signed Charter, political parties will not be bound to accept it," he said.

He further noted that the interim government is functioning within a constitutional framework. "The government has taken oath constitutionally, and all activities are being carried out under legal provisions," he said.

"According to the Constitution, only the president has the authority to issue ordinances. If any directive is to be issued, it must have legal standing – but there is currently no constitutional mechanism in Bangladesh that allows any form of legislation except through a presidential ordinance," Salahuddin added.

When asked about the possibility of discussions on a national referendum, he said, "If the government calls for dialogue on the matter, then there may be room for discussion."

Also in a Facebook post, Salahuddin said, "The government says it gave seven days [for a decision on charter implementation method] – but we did not receive any such proposal telling us to do this or that. These are all reports published in newspapers. We have not received any proposal officially."

"We have already said that if the chief adviser wants to discuss any issue and invites us, we will go. So why would charter-implementation demands now go to the streets? The government and the Consensus Commission must answer why they deceived the nation."

"The nation has already entered the election field. Candidates are out campaigning with their symbols on behalf of their parties. The nation is no longer involved in these distractions. The Election Commission will announce the election schedule in due time. The government will organise the election – this is the situation," he said.

"Regarding the July National Charter – the way it was formulated – we remain committed and pledged to upholding and implementing that charter," the post added.

'Why are you so afraid of the vote?' Fakhrul asks Jamaat

Also today, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir accused Jamaat-e-Islami of attempting to delay the national election by demanding proportional representation (PR) and other issues, saying the party fears a popular vote because it would eliminate its political relevance.

Speaking at a meeting with residents of Bargangao union in Thakurgaon today, he alleged that calls for PR and referendum are tactics to confuse voters and postpone the ballot. 

"Why are you so afraid of the vote? Because you know that if there is a vote, your existence will not remain," he said.

He argued that smaller parties or alliances with little local presence – citing the absence of the NCP in the area – would not win votes under a direct contest, which is why they support PR. 

Fakhrul said the BNP rejects the proposal to introduce PR for the upcoming election, insisting the party prefers the traditional candidate-and-symbol system: "My MP candidate will stand, I will vote for him by seeing his symbol."

Fakhrul also criticised parties that claim an exclusive hold on patriotism and moral authority, accusing them of using religious sentiment for political ends and warning voters about such "hypocrisy."

Reaffirming BNP's position on the July Charter, he said the party will only be bound by the charter's terms and will not assume responsibility for any measures imposed beyond those agreements. 

He warned the government that any attempt to force through reforms or actions outside the agreed issues would be its sole responsibility and would not be accepted by the people.