July Charter: Political parties express concern over implementation

Several political parties have said the draft July Charter, circulated among them, does not clearly spell out how it will be implemented. They also pointed out inconsistencies in certain provisions.

Because of the notes of dissent given by certain political parties on some provisions of the charter, some parties feel there is still a constitutional and procedural complication over implementation. According to them, with "notes of dissent," the July Charter cannot truly function as a national framework.

The BNP has attached dissent notes to 10 proposals in the draft. A reliable party source said the BNP may ultimately compromise on a few points in its final opinion, especially regarding the proportional representation (PR) system for the upper house of parliament, and the method of forming a caretaker government.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said there are inconsistencies in parts of the draft, and some matters were not properly presented. These points will be included in the BNP's opinion, which will be submitted by 20 August after reviewing the draft.

Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Dr AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad said the July Charter must go through several steps – finalisation through dialogue, establishing legal binding force, and then implementation. Without these steps, it will remain only a written document. 

He added that the Charter must first become a legal instrument, then be implemented, so that it forms a solid constitutional basis. If the July Charter is properly enforced and elections are held under it, reforms will be ensured and elections will be fair, he said, expressing hope that the government will take that path.

Javed Rasin, joint convener of the NCP, told The Business Standard that his party is disappointed once again, since the draft does not specify the mode of implementation. Even the matters that were supposed to be carried out before the election have not been identified, nor has the implementation procedure been clarified. 

Altogether, the draft has created further confusion, he said. He hoped the Commission would sit again with political parties to clear up these doubts.

Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna said more internal discussions are needed on the legal and implementation aspects of the Charter. He pointed out that the dissent notes would end up being debated in the next parliament. 

He recalled that the chief adviser had earlier said reforms would be implemented based on national consensus, but dissenting notes mean there is no real consensus. He stressed that there is still time for further dialogue, noting that the BNP's position is different.

Communist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said dissenting notes negate consensus. Any party that has registered a dissent will not implement those provisions if it comes to power. In his view, the Commission has sent a draft that undermines unity rather than builds it.

LDP Chairman and 12-Party Alliance spokesperson Shahadat Hossain Selim said his alliance would hold discussions to decide whether the July Charter represents consensus or discord. He acknowledged that dissent notes could make implementation difficult in the future, but hinted the alliance might show some flexibility in the larger interest. A final opinion will be given after discussion within the alliance forum.

Syed Ehsanul Huda, chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Dal and coordinator of the 12-Party Alliance, told TBS that the new draft is inconsistent with an earlier version they had received. He said provisions that were previously agreed upon, and were supposed to be implemented through ordinances and incorporated into the constitution within two years of the next parliament, are now missing from the July Charter. The timeline for implementation is also absent.

He said the Commission's draft now omits mention of several recommendations where consensus was not reached among political parties, creating further uncertainty.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh Joint Secretary General and spokesperson Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman said the main crisis lies in the electoral system. In particular, the demand for elections to the lower house under proportional representation has not been addressed, even though many parties supported it. This will remain a sticking point, he said. 

Other reforms are acceptable, and in the larger interest, some disagreements have been set aside. But he stressed that whatever consensus has been reached must now be given a legal foundation. The interim government should finalise the Charter so that any future government runs the state in line with it.

National Consensus Commission member Badiul Alam Majumdar told The Business Standard that the draft did not include a specific roadmap for implementation because the Commission intends to consult experts, legal professionals, and political parties about the best course. After further consultations and revisions, the July Charter will be finalised.