What are July Declaration, Charter? How will they be implemented?

The idea of the "July Declaration" first came into public view on the night of 28 December last year, when National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah announced on Facebook that a "Declaration of the July Revolution" would be declared at the Shaheed Minar on 31 December.

In the days that followed, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement began popularising terms such as "Second Republic" and "July Declaration", intensifying pressure on the interim government to respond.

Amid growing mobilisation, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam declared on 30 December evening that the interim government would issue a "July Declaration" within 15 working days.

On 10 May, the Advisory Council, under pressure from protestors, committed to issuing the Declaration within 30 working days – a deadline that ultimately passed without implementation.

Now, the long-anticipated Declaration – a key document in the country's ongoing transition – will finally be issued on 5 August, marking the first anniversary of the popular uprising, Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam said.

What will be July Declaration's constitutional status?

The July Declaration is regarded as the official declaration of the July mass uprising, which its supporters say is aimed at unifying the nation around the movement's core values of anti-fascism, democratic resurgence, and state reform.

However, it has sparked debate among political parties – not only over its contents but also over whether it should be granted constitutional status.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has called for the declaration to be recognised and made effective under the fundamental principles of state policy in the constitution.

On 11 July, the party's Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said, "We expect a new constitution for Bangladesh. The NCP believes that a new constitution should be drafted, and the July Declaration should be included in its preamble."

"It must be granted constitutional recognition and effect under the fundamental principles of state policy," he said.

However, the BNP opposes such full incorporation of the declaration. Salahuddin Ahmed, member of the party's standing committee, said the BNP believes that recognising the spirit of the July Uprising does not require including the entire Declaration. Instead, referencing "July Uprising 2024" in Schedule Four would be sufficient.

On 10 July, Salahuddin said, "The 1972 Constitution did not include the Declaration of Independence itself. That proves no declaration is ever made part of the constitution."

How will July National Charter be implemented?

The July National Charter outlines areas of reform on which political parties are expected to reach a consensus in principle. Drafted by the National Consensus Commission, the charter is intended to serve as a framework for state reform following the July uprising.

The current draft, however, does not specify the exact reforms. According to the commission, consensus has so far been reached on 12 key issues – though disagreements remain over how the reforms will be legally implemented.

Parties differ on whether the reforms should be enacted through a referendum, a Legal Framework Order (LFO) issued by the president, or legislation in the next national parliament.

The draft charter states that political parties must commit to completing the agreed reforms within two years of forming the next government, and ensuring they are made sustainable.

The BNP supports implementation of the reforms through the next elected parliament. In contrast, Jamaat-e-Islami insists on establishing legal validity through a referendum or presidential ordinance.

Leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) argue that even if a referendum cannot be held, the reforms must at least be given legal status through a presidential Legal Framework Order (LFO).

Today, Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher stressed the need for a legal foundation to implement the reforms agreed upon during ongoing dialogues.

"We must ensure that whatever consensus is reached in the talks has legal validity," he said.

He also revealed that Jamaat is currently drafting its own version of the reform charter, which will soon be submitted to the National Consensus Commission.