Dhaka: BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed announced that the party is prepared to sign the July National Charter-2025. He stated, “Each party was asked to provide the names of two representatives to sign the July National Charter, and BNP has submitted theirs. We are ready to sign the July National Charter. We have expressed this stance before.” Salahuddin Ahmed made these remarks during a press briefing after a meeting between political parties and the National Consensus Commission at the Foreign Service Academy in the city.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Salahuddin Ahmed expressed hope for the charter’s implementation, which will include points of consensus reached through discussions among political parties. He emphasized that almost all political parties, including BNP, have provided their views on how to implement the July Charter. He mentioned the possibility of accepting any other legitimate, legal, and constitutional method to implement the charter, stressing the importance of avoiding amendments outside of legal authority through special constitutional orders.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Adviser of the interim government and the head of the National Consensus Commission, Prof Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Salahuddin Ahmed also shared that he appealed to the Chief Adviser to seek advice from the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, to ensure the legal process for implementing the charter. He highlighted the importance of the July Charter as a nationally significant political and constitutional document and advocated for a method that would be free from judicial challenges.
Salahuddin Ahmed further suggested that the Chief Adviser could hold small meetings with political parties to reach a consensus on the charter’s implementation. He assured that BNP would participate in such discussions, emphasizing the continuation of dialogue. He noted that the term of the National Consensus Commission expires soon, and discussions may be extended if needed, with further meetings planned.
On the topic of elections, Salahuddin Ahmed stressed the necessity of holding elections in the first half of February. He clarified that elections, reforms, and judicial proceedings are independent processes and should not be dependent on one another. He expressed confidence that the unity among the people regarding the election schedule and the preparations by the Election Commission would lead to the establishment of a truly democratic political government and parliament, realizing democratic rights.
The National Consensus Commission’s meeting involved discussions with political parties at 3 pm, attended by its Vice-President Professor Ali Riaz, members Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, and Dr. Md. Ayub Mia. Monir Haider, the Chief Adviser’s special assistant involved in the National Consensus formation process, also participated in the meeting.