The National Consensus Commission on Saturday sent a set of proposals placed by the National Citizen Party to legal experts for interpretation.
The student-led party, which has yet to sign the July National Charter as its implementation mechanism remains unclear, presented the proposals during a meeting with the commission at its secretariat in the parliament complex earlier in the day.
“A notable progress has been made as the National Citizen Party has expressed willingness to sign the July Charter. We have sent those proposals to legal experts for interpretation,” NCC Vice Chairman Ali Riaz told TIMES of Bangladesh. “Our main objective is to bring every party closer to signing.”
Of the 30 political parties invited, 24 signed the charter in the presence of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at a ceremony at the South Plaza of Parliament on 17 October.
Gono Forum signed the charter on 19 October, while the NCP and four left-leaning parties — Communist Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, and Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) — are still refraining from signing.
Emerging from the meeting, NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen said his party would not sign the July Charter until the draft of the implementation order is made available.
“The commission has informed us that an implementation order for the July Charter is being prepared, which we consider a step forward. As the commission has expressed its inability to share the contents of that order with us, we cannot yet be optimistic,” he told reporters.
Highlighting the NCP’s stance, Hossen said they would not accept any process that turns the charter into an instrument of deception under pressure from any group.
Describing the signing of the July Charter as merely a formality, he said: “We have told the commission that the draft implementation order and its scope must be made public. We will decide on signing only after reviewing those details.”
He alleged that one party wants to erase the July Charter while another seeks to derail it.
“We have urged the commission that the charter must not become a tool of deception under anyone’s pressure,” he said.
“We have continued our long struggle to ensure that the July Charter obtains a complete legal foundation. Until that legal basis is secured, we will continue our efforts,” he added.
NCP Joint Conveners Sarwar Tushar, Khaled Saifullah and Javed Rasin, and Joint Member Secretary Zahirul Islam Musa attended the meeting, with NCC Vice Chairman Ali Riaz in the chair.
Meanwhile, the NCC at its meeting with experts on Saturday failed to reach a final decision on a set of proposals regarding the implementation of the July Charter.
The NCC sat with the experts to discuss issues related to the formation of a new parliament, its authority and the role of the Speaker, among others.
“Both sides are still uncertain about how the next parliament will be constituted,” said a commission member, asking not to be named.
Commission sources said it has been trying to reach a solution that is both politically acceptable and legally sustainable.
The commission is scheduled to meet again on Sunday.
