Consensus Commission reviewing political parties’ objections to July Charter draft

The National Consensus Commission is carefully reviewing objections raised by political parties regarding the draft of July Charter.

The commission will consult experts on points of disagreement before finalising the charter.

According to sources present at the meeting, this was discussed at a session held today at the commission's office in the National Parliament.

The commission prepared the draft July Charter based on dialogues with political parties. The draft includes the background, 84 issues where political consensus has been reached, and eight implementation commitments.

The integrated draft was sent to political parties on August 16, and the parties have submitted feedback, raising objections to various sections.

Sources said the commission is carefully reviewing all objections and consulting experts on the issues. Based on this feedback, the final July Charter will be prepared and sent to the parties again for their signatures. However, this will take place only after the third phase of dialogue.

Monir Haider, special assistant (consensus) to the chief adviser, told reporters that the commission is verifying whether the feedback aligns with decisions taken in its meetings and whether there are any gaps in the draft.

He added that formal and informal meetings with political parties will begin soon.

A press release from the commission said that discussions on political parties' feedback, which began on Wednesday, continued during today's meeting.

The commission not only analysed the feedback but also re-evaluated the language and accuracy of the decisions included in the charter.

Members also discussed the need for informal group discussions with political parties on possible ways to implement the charter.

Commission members present at the meeting included Vice-President Prof Ali Riaz, members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Md Emdadul Haq, Badiul Alam Majumdar, Iftekharuzzaman, Md Ayub Mia, and Monir Haider, who is involved in the consensus-building process.