The National Consensus Commission (NCC) has categorically rejected claims circulating on social media that it spent Tk83 crore on hospitality, describing the allegation as “completely baseless, fabricated, and a hostile attempt to discredit the institution.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, the commission clarified that its total expenditure since beginning operations in February 2025 stands at just Tk1.71 crore – only 23.46% of its allocated budget of Tk7.23 crore for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 fiscal years.
Of that, hospitality expenses amount to Tk45.7 lakh, well below the Tk63 lakh allocated for that purpose.
“This is clearly a planned misinformation campaign,” the statement read. “Those spreading these falsehoods neither sought the commission’s position nor verified the claim with the authorities concerned.”
The commission noted that a “significant portion” of the hospitality budget was spent on discussions with political parties during a three-phase dialogue process aimed at building national consensus.
These sessions included refreshments and meals for political representatives, their aides, journalists, commission staff, and security personnel.
During the first phase, between 20 March and 19 May 2025, the commission held 44 meetings with various political parties, spending Tk4.91 lakh on hospitality.
The second phase, held at the Foreign Service Academy, consisted of 23 meetings with representatives from 30 political parties. As meetings ran from morning till night, the commission provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner, costing Tk28.83 lakh in total – averaging less than Tk1.2 lakh per day.
In the third phase, involving seven meetings with 30 political parties, the commission spent Tk7.08 lakh on hospitality.
Beyond political dialogues, the commission held 50 internal meetings – many of them on weekends and public holidays – incurring hospitality costs of Tk1.05 lakh.
Meetings with civil society and professional groups, along with three press conferences, cost Tk2.34 lakh. Fourteen meetings with subject experts involved another Tk30,960 in refreshments, with all experts participating without remuneration.
In addition, Tk2 lakh was spent across nine months hosting guests including foreign diplomats, editors, journalists, political leaders, and representatives of various organisations.
The statement stressed that this breakdown “clearly exposes the absurdity” of the Tk83 crore claim, calling it a “deliberate and organised attempt to delegitimise the commission and its work.”
The commission emphasised its commitment to transparency throughout its tenure, pointing to daily media coverage, open access to its offices, and regular press briefings by its deputy chair and members.
It also underscored that discussions with political parties were broadcast live for the first time in Bangladesh’s history, allowing citizens to observe proceedings in real time.
The commission urged those responsible for spreading misinformation to “publicly acknowledge their deception and apologise.” It also called on the media to continue playing a responsible role by disseminating accurate information and protecting the public from “malicious disinformation.”
Formed to facilitate inclusive dialogue and build consensus across Bangladesh’s fractured political landscape, the commission has, in less than a year, held dozens of consultations with political parties, civil society, labour groups, and experts.
From its inception on 15 February 2025, it has been regarded by many as a rare institutional effort to depoliticise dialogue, though it has also faced scepticism from some parties.
With the latest controversy, the commission defended its record and reiterated that “responsible journalism and political integrity are essential to constructive public discourse.”
