Consensus on July Charter: What's next as 7-day deadline expires today
Parties fail to bridge divide over referendum schedule and implementation process despite week-long timeframe
The seven-day deadline set by the interim government for political parties to reach a consensus on the referendum schedule and implementation of the July Charter expires today (10 November) without any agreement.
Despite repeated calls for dialogue, the major political parties remain divided over the timing of the referendum and whether the BNP's "notes of dissent" should be incorporated into the Charter.
The deadlock has stalled progress on the reform process and added uncertainty to the upcoming national election, as discussions among parties failed to move beyond informal exchanges.
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On 3 November, the interim government had expressed concern at the political stalemate during an emergency meeting of the Advisory Council.
The meeting called on political parties to hold talks among themselves and provide a unified direction to the government on implementing the Charter within a week.
The directive came amid sharp divisions over the timing of the referendum and whether the BNP's "notes of dissent" should be included.
Over the past week, parties have held sporadic discussions but no joint meeting.
The main dispute remains the timing of the referendum—whether it should be held before or alongside the national election—and differing interpretations of the July Charter's implementation process.
Citing government sources, Prothom Alo today reported that the interim administration is preparing to discuss the issue at an Advisory Council meeting on Thursday (13 November), with a formal order for implementing the Charter likely by 15 November, as parties failed to submit a unified proposal.
However, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told reporters at the Secretariat today that whether the constitutional order for implementing the July Charter and the referendum ordinance will be placed at the next Advisory Council meeting cannot be confirmed without receiving the agenda.
"The government has taken a clear position regarding the July Charter, but the political parties have not yet announced their stance," she said.
Earlier on Saturday (8 November), NCP Convener Nahid Islam told TBS that the party's position was that the order for implementing the Charter must be issued by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and that the "notes of dissent" would not be included.
Nahid added that informal discussions with other parties were ongoing.
"We have spoken with them before, and the rest is up to them. Some parties are still opposing the reform, the July Charter, and the referendum. They must move away from their position. Otherwise, implementation will not be possible, and it will face public rejection," he said.
Throughout the week, senior leaders of major political parties publicly reiterated their positions.
Yesterday (9 November), BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said that if the government organised a meeting, "a way out of the crisis can be found," reports The Daily Star.
He said the National Consensus Commission and the government "jointly created the problem" and should take responsibility for resolving it.
Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad said that his party had taken an initiative for dialogue, adding, "Those unwilling to participate cannot be forced. Dialogue is only possible when all parties come forward. It is now the government's responsibility to decide how to implement the reforms."
Meanwhile, NCP Member-Secretary Akhter Hossen, speaking at a discussion titled July Charter: Implementation Pathline organised by the National Lawyers Alliance yesterday, urged the government not to shift the burden of reforms onto political parties.
He said the crisis must be resolved quickly to ensure citizens can participate in the upcoming election.
"If uncertainty around the reform process persists, it will also cast doubt on the government's exit strategy and the integrity of the electoral process," Akhter warned.
Meanwhile, at a views exchange meeting in Thakurgaon earlier this week, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged that "some educated people from the upper echelon came from the US and are imposing issues like the referendum and the charter upon us."
He reiterated that the referendum must take place on the same day as the election.
As the deadline ends, no political party has proposed a unified framework for the Charter's implementation. Despite informal communications, the parties remain divided on core issues, leaving the reform process stalled.
The July Charter, signed on 17 October by most major political parties following dialogue with the National Consensus Commission, was intended to outline political and governance reforms through constitutional means.
However, disagreements soon surfaced over the sequence of implementation, the inclusion of dissenting opinions, and the scheduling of the referendum.
With the deadline now passed and no visible progress made, the government's earlier call for a compromise remains unfulfilled, extending the deadlock surrounding the July Charter.
