Bangladesh

No Party Leader Can Serve as Prime Minister, Says Bangladesh Commission

7:35 pm - July 22, 2025
Bangladesh

Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, Professor Ali Riaz.

Melbourne, July 22 — After extensive discussions and debates, Bangladesh’s National Consensus Commission, formed under the interim government, has finalized its decision that party chiefs will not be eligible to assume the position of Prime Minister. The Commission has already conveyed this decision to the political parties. However, parties will be allowed to issue a “note of dissent” in the National Charter if they disagree with the decision.

This announcement was made by the Commission’s Vice-Chairman, Professor Ali Riaz, at the beginning of the 17th day of dialogue between the Commission and political parties, held at the Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday (July 22), local time.

The Vice-Chairman stated that the majority of parties have agreed that the position of Prime Minister should not be held by the head of a political party. Some parties have expressed differing opinions and will be allowed to register a note of dissent in the National Charter.

He added that multiple rounds of dialogue were held regarding the proposal. Parties such as the BNP, LDP, Labour Party, NDM, the 12-Party Alliance, the Nationalist Like-Minded Alliance, and the People’s Party supported allowing the same individual to serve as party chief, Prime Minister, and Leader of the Parliament. However, parties like Jamaat and NCP, along with others, opposed the idea of appointing a party chief as Prime Minister.

Tuesday’s discussion agenda included: final decision on holding multiple posts (Prime Minister and others); formulation of a comprehensive proposal on the caretaker government based on party submissions; and regulations for appointments to the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Auditor General and Comptroller, Anti-Corruption Commission, and Ombudsman.

At the beginning of the session, Commission member Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar offered a condolence message regarding the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft near Milestone School and College in Uttara, which resulted in multiple casualties.