Consensus commission aims for prompt accord on ‘National Charter’

At a press conference held this morning at the LD Hall of the National Parliament Building, the commission’s vice president, Prof. Ali Riaz, stated that constitutional amendments could be enacted through ordinances, as seen in Bangladesh’s past.

The press conference was attended by commission members Badiul Alam Majumdar, Iftekharuzzaman, Abdul Muid Chowdhury, Safar Raj Hossain, Emdadul Haque, and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant (Consensus), Monir Haider.

Prof. Riaz announced that the commission has reached out to 34 political parties and alliances, seeking their opinions on 166 significant reform proposals. The commission expects to receive responses by March 13, after which discussions will commence, though specific dates have yet to be set.

Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, Prof. Riaz urged political parties and alliances to submit their feedback as soon as possible. “The next steps in this process depend on the political parties. We aim to initiate discussions swiftly and reach a consensus within a short timeframe to formulate a ‘National Charter,’” he stated.

The six reform commissions, established in October last year, submitted their comprehensive reports to the government on February 8. Now, the consensus commission is working to facilitate discussions and build agreement on these reform proposals.

Prof. Riaz explained that key recommendations from five commissions have been structured into a formal framework. However, proposals from the Police Reform Commission were excluded, as they believe their recommendations can be implemented administratively.

These structured reform proposals, comprising 166 recommendations, were sent to 34 political parties and alliances on March 6. The breakdown includes:

• 70 recommendations on constitutional reforms
• 27 recommendations on electoral reforms
• 23 recommendations on judicial reforms
• 26 recommendations on public administration reforms
• 20 recommendations on anti-corruption measures

At the press conference, Prof. Riaz outlined the two key aspects of feedback requested from political parties.

1. Agreement with recommendations – Parties are asked to indicate their stance on each recommendation by selecting one of the following options:

   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Partially Agree

2. Timeline and method of implementation – Parties must choose from six possible implementation approaches:

   • Before the election through an ordinance
   • Before the election through a referendum
   • During the election through a referendum
   • Through a Constituent Assembly
   • After the election through constitutional amendments
   • Through a Parliament elected as both a Constituent Assembly and a Legislature

Additionally, each recommendation includes a section for comments.

“We anticipate receiving feedback from political parties and alliances by March 13. If any clarifications are needed, the commission remains available for discussions and explanations,” Prof. Riaz assured.

Furthermore, he announced plans to launch a website where the public can submit their opinions on key reform proposals.