Experts will be consulted first to determine legal status of July Charter

The National Consensus Commission will resume talks next week, beginning with consultations with experts, to decide how to implement the July National Charter and ensure its legal enforceability.

"Based on those discussions, the commission will initiate the next round of talks with political parties. We hope this process will lead to a timely and appropriate decision," the commission's Vice-President Prof Ali Riaz said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad, he said, "The method of ensuring the legally binding nature of the charter, which has been drafted based on national consensus and is expected to be signed, must be determined through discussions with political parties."

The press conference was held to brief the public on the charter's progress. Riaz said the first two rounds of dialogue produced significant consensus on key reforms. In the first phase, agreement was reached on 62 of 165 proposals, some already implemented through ordinances, policies and executive orders. Twenty-five proposals were dropped due to sharp differences among parties.

In the second phase, political consensus was achieved on 11 of 20 major constitutional issues, with the remaining nine settled with notes of dissent. The final report will specify which parties dissented on which issues.

Asked if the commission has been "successful" and whether its tenure would be extended, Riaz said, "Success always depends on perspective… As of July 31, we were able to reach consensus on 62 points. Later, out of 19 points, 10 were fully agreed upon… From that viewpoint, this is a major achievement in the context of the country's history."

He said the commission's duty is to bring everyone to a common ground. "Even if there are differences, we hope a compromise will be reached. Parties are continuing discussions. Our aim is for the charter to be signed, and we are working toward that."

The commission's tenure ends in mid-August. "We will not separately recommend tenure extension. It's up to the government. If, by good fortune, the process is finalised within seven days, then extension becomes irrelevant," Riaz said.

Asked when the charter might be signed, Riaz said it depends on the third round of discussions with political parties and expert opinions.

"A preliminary draft has already been shared, and parties have provided feedback. A revised, consolidated draft will be sent within the next two days. Once there is consensus on that, a signing date can be set. If there are differing opinions, those will also be considered".

He said whether the interim government or the next parliament implements the charter will also be decided after expert and party consultations.

Riaz expects the third phase of talks to be short. "There is no need for long-term discussions with experts. Based on their input and the positions of political parties, we will try to reach common ground. It won't take too long."

Regarding the future of the notes of dissent, Ali Riaz said the commission will consult experts. They will examine global practices and local realities to determine how to implement the decisions, considering both the value of dissenting opinions and majority consensus.

"Our team does not want to seem like it's imposing anything. We have decided to seek opinions from outside experts who were part of other commissions and understand their views. Based on that, we will talk to political parties."

Ali Riaz acknowledged that the commission initially hoped to reach consensus on all 166 expected points in the National Charter, but that was not achieved -- nor is it likely.

"First, we knew consensus wouldn't be possible on everything. Second, we're not trying to impose anything. Therefore, dissent has emerged. For example, on 25 issues, the differences were so large that we couldn't even proceed to the second round of discussion. So, we dropped them. The focus has been on areas where consensus is realistically possible."

He added that in the second phase, efforts were made to be as transparent as possible so all could see who was doing what. Many issues saw unexpected progress thanks to the cooperation of political parties. Now, the implementation phase depends on experts and political parties.

Asked about curbing MPs' influence in local government elections, Riaz said, "The influence of MPs in local governance is not legally valid. There is also a court ruling on the matter. Among the 62 points of consensus reached in the first phase, several contain specific proposals to curb the influence of MPs at the local level, and political consensus has been established on those points."

On elections and the charter, he said, "Some parties are talking about holding elections based on the charter. Currently, the commission is not involved in the election process. Our responsibility is to establish a national consensus. Based on discussions, the government will take necessary steps in this regard. What we will do is determine the implementation process of the consensus that is being established."

Regarding the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission's proposals, Riaz said one of the Constitutional Reform Commission's key goals was balancing power. "It is not just about balancing the powers of the prime minister and the president. Though there are dissenting opinions on term limits and holding multiple offices, the goal is to prevent the centralisation of power… to bring about a major shift in the country's political culture."

Some recommendations are already being implemented by the government and the Election Commission (EC), he said, expressing hope that structural reforms would go ahead without obstruction.

On success and tenure

On reforms before the election slated for February 2026, Riaz noted that some reform proposals are immediate while others are long-term. "A single election cannot stop the resurgence of fascism. That requires institutional reforms and constitutional changes… Political parties must take a leading role in addressing the practices that enable fascism."

He added, "We have worked with hope. Every citizen wants a fair election. The country should move towards a democratic structure."

About the commission's expenditures, Riaz said the records are with the law ministry and the Parliament Secretariat, and will be audited by the government. Monir Haider, special assistant (consensus) to the chief adviser, said the commission itself does not spend money, and all logistical costs are borne by the law ministry and the Parliament Secretariat.