NCP will not sign July Charter without legal guarantees, reforms: Akhtar Hossain

The National Citizen Party (NCP) will not sign the proposed July Charter unless it ensures fundamental reforms and a legally binding framework, the party's Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said today (30 July).

"Some think signing the July Charter means we accept everything, but that is a mistake. We will not sign any charter without concrete legal assurances and genuine structural reform," he said while speaking at the National Consensus Commission's 22nd meeting of its second phase dialogue with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka's Bailey Road.

The NCP leader emphasised the distinction between the "July Declaration" and the "July Charter," cautioning that many are conflating the two.

He warned that the deliberate confusion between the declaration and the charter might be politically motivated. "Many are intentionally merging the two documents, which undermines NCP's position. This could be part of a politically driven propaganda campaign," he alleged.

Akhtar Hossain further said, "The NCP wants a charter that is effective, comprehensive, legally enforceable, and ready for immediate implementation."

Criticising the commission's initial draft, which proposes a two-year implementation timeline, he said the NCP strongly rejects such a delay. "This extended timeline creates room for manipulation and betrays public expectations."