Consensus Commission to Begin Discussions on Implementation of July Charter

Melbourne, August 9 — The National Consensus Commission will begin discussions next week to ensure compliance with and finalize the implementation process for the July Charter. In the initial phase of dialogue, the Commission will meet with experts, followed by a third round of consultations with political parties.

This was announced at a press conference held on Friday in the LD Hall of the National Parliament, where the Commission’s Vice Chair Professor Ali Riaz shared the latest developments regarding the drafting of the July Charter.

The press conference was chaired by Commission President Ali Riaz, and attended by members Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr. Md. Ayub Miah, and Monir Haider, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.

In a written statement, Ali Riaz said:

“To ensure the binding nature and implementation strategy of the Charter, it is essential to engage in dialogue with political parties. Toward that goal, the Commission will hold consultations with subject-matter experts next week. Based on those discussions, we will proceed to the next phase of dialogue with political parties. We are hopeful that this process will lead to an appropriate resolution in a short time.”

He noted that significant consensus has already emerged among political parties during the two previous rounds of dialogue, aimed at drafting a much-anticipated national charter.

According to the press conference:

• In the first round, 165 proposals were submitted. Among them, 62 proposals reached consensus among political parties. Some of these have already been implemented by the government through ordinances, policies, and executive decisions.

• The second round focused on 20 key constitutional issues, of which 11 saw full consensus, while the remaining 9 were adopted with a note of dissent, indicating which parties disagreed.

It was also reported that 25 proposals were left undiscussed in the first round due to deep disagreements between parties.

Among the proposals adopted without dissent were:

• Selection of chairs for parliamentary standing committees

• Redrawing of electoral boundaries

• Presidential pardon authority

• Decentralization of the judiciary (including both Supreme Court and lower court expansion to sub-district levels)

• Rules for declaring a state of emergency

• Appointment process for the Chief Justice

• Constitutional amendment principles

• Term limit for the Prime Minister

• Formation of the Election Commission and Police Commission

• Expansion of citizens’ fundamental rights

Among the proposals adopted with dissent, the following stood out:

• Amendment to Article 70 of the Constitution

• Provision regarding the Prime Minister holding multiple offices

• Appointment procedures for the Public Service Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Anti-Corruption Commission, and Ombudsman (previously part of a proposal known as the National Constitutional Council, now renamed the Selection Committee for Constitutional and Statutory Institutions)

Also adopted with dissent were proposals concerning:

• Women’s representation in Parliament — including increased seats and reforms in election methods

• Formation of a bicameral parliament, including structure, selection, and jurisdiction of the upper house

• Electoral procedure for the President

• Structure of the caretaker government

• State principles

• Powers and duties of the President under Article 48(3) of the Constitution