Consensus Commission restarts dialogue with political parties

The 15th day of the second phase of reform talks between the National Consensus Commission and political parties commenced on Sunday morning, focusing on key constitutional issues.

The session began around 11:20 am at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, with the Commission’s Vice Chair, Professor Ali Riaz, presiding.

According to a UNB report, Sunday’s discussions are set to cover major reform topics, including the caretaker government system and the prime minister holding multiple offices.

Around 30 political parties—including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP)—are participating in the dialogue to present their respective positions on the proposed reforms.

The Consensus Commission aims to reach a unified position on key constitutional amendments by July 31, having scheduled discussions on nearly 20 major issues during this second round of talks.

The second phase was inaugurated on June 2 by Chief Adviser and Commission Chair Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The Commission, established on February 15, 2025, under Prof Yunus's leadership, was mandated to build national consensus on critical state reforms.

During its first round of talks, held between March 20 and May 19, the Commission engaged with 33 political parties and alliances.