Dhaka: Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, Prof Ali Riaz, announced today the commission’s goal to reach a logical conclusion by July 30, in a bid to honor the martyrs of the July-August Mass Uprising last year. This declaration was made at the commencement of the 12th day of discussion with political parties, marking the second phase of dialogue held at the Foreign Service Academy.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the discussions are focused on unifying around the recommendations from various reform commissions established by the interim government. The aim is to reach consensus on state reform issues and to craft the ‘July Charter.’ Key topics dominating today’s dialogue include the outline of the caretaker government, the appointment of the Chief Justice, and the declaration of state emergency.
Commission members including Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, Dr Md Ayub Mia, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Safar Raj Hossain, and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Monir Haider were present at the meeting. Three issues have been previously discussed, with ongoing discussions on unresolved matters scheduled for today.
In his opening remarks, Prof Ali Riaz emphasized the importance of political parties adopting a middle-ground stance on various issues, emphasizing the potential for future change based on public mandate. He stressed the need for consensus, urging political leaders to be open to adjusting positions to avoid stagnation.
Representatives from 30 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gana Sanghati, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Biplobi Workers Party, and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, are actively participating in the discussions.
Previously, the commission’s meetings have covered topics such as the tenure of the prime minister, the presidential election system, principles of state governance, and the formation of independent committees to delineate parliamentary seat boundaries.