Jamaat-e-Islami and several other parties, including Islami Andolan Bangladesh, are waiting to hear how the government plans to implement the July National Charter.
Leaders of these parties expect to learn more about the matter, even if informally, by Thursday evening.
The parties’ top leaders are scheduled to meet in the evening to discuss and decide whether to sign the July Charter at all.
The formal signing of the July Charter is scheduled for Friday at 4pm at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. Accordingly, the government has made preparations. Before this, the National Consensus Commission has gone through extensive discussions with political parties.
Despite this, a day before the charter’s signing, various parties are expressing doubt, with announcements being made about indicating that the charter will not be signed if specific demands are not met.
Leaders of seven parties, including Jamaat and Islami Andolan, who are currently spearheading a joint movement with five-point demands, are engaged in discussions throughout the day regarding whether to sign the July Charter or not.
According to party leaders, the government might informally let the parties know the details of the implementation process of the charter by around 4pm. After that, the parties will meet in the evening to decide.
Senior Joint Secretary General of Islami Andolan Bangladesh Gazi Ataur Rahman told TIMES of Bangladesh, “Discussions are ongoing among us in the joint movement. We will sit in the evening and decide on the matter.”
When asked if he would sit with allies, the leader avoided the question.
When contacted on the same issue, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad said he was in a meeting and could not talk at the moment.
Several parties, including Jamaat and Islami Andolan, want the July Charter to be implemented through a public referendum in November or by a government special ordinance. If they do not receive news of the government’s agreement in this regard, top leaders of these parties are in favor of ultimately boycotting the signing ceremony.
However, there are differing thoughts among many.
A member of Jamaat’s Majlish-e-Shura said, “The BNP does not want the July Charter to be implemented. If we totally boycott the ceremony, that party will not allow this charter to be implemented. Rather, whatever can be achieved by putting pressure on the government and the BNP will be beneficial for the country and its people. We are keeping that in mind.”
Invitations have already been sent by the government organisers to 30 political parties and alliances for the July Charter signing ceremony.
Among them, National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam stated in the morning that the NCP will not sign the charter unless a legal basis is ensured. The party wants the “notes of dissent” on the consensus issues to be withdrawn.
During the “extremely urgent” meeting of the National Consensus Commission on Wednesday evening, the parties remained firm on their previous positions.
BNP, on the other hand, wants a public referendum on the day of the national election in February as opposed to Jamaat and Islami Andolan, who want the referendum in November.
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has said, “They will sign the charter, including the notes of dissent.”
And Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher stated that there is no uncertainty about their attending the signing ceremony. However, he said they would wait until the day of the ceremony to decide whether to sign the charter.
Incidentally, prior to this, at Wednesday’s meeting, four leftist parties announced they would not sign the July Charter.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (BaSad), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) said that the four fundamental principles of the constitution are not mentioned in the July Charter.
