Professor Dr. Ali Riaz, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, has urged political parties to make a conclusive decision on the proposed National Charter—commonly referred to as the July Charter—within the next 10 days.
Speaking on Monday morning at the Foreign Service Academy during the 16th day of the Commission’s second phase of dialogue, Riaz said the process has entered its final stage. “We are now in the decision-making phase on most key issues. If cooperation from all sides continues, we are optimistic the Charter can be finalized within this month,” he said.
He emphasized that consensus has already been reached on several core matters, while near-agreement has been achieved on others. “We are working through the remaining issues with ongoing dialogue, and we hope to bridge the remaining gaps soon,” he added.
Dr. Riaz made it clear that the Commission’s aim is not to enforce decisions unilaterally. “If there are disagreements on specific points, those will be respectfully noted in the final Charter,” he said, signaling a commitment to transparency and inclusiveness.
Monday’s session focused on critical topics, including the question of whether the Prime Minister can hold multiple offices and the foundational principles of governance.
Representatives from 28 political parties—including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami—and two political alliances took part in the day’s discussions.
Among the Commission members present at the session were Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr. Md. Ayub Miah, and Monir Haider, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
The ongoing dialogue, seen as a pivotal step toward national reconciliation, has gained attention for its broad participation and the Commission’s emphasis on consensus-building. With only 10 days left for a final decision, all eyes are now on the participating parties to see whether a historic agreement can be reached.