Turning point in country’s politics

Two major political parties – the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami – along with 23 other parties on Friday signed the July National Charter, which is seen as a defining moment for the country’s future political pathways.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), the forerunner of the July movement that toppled the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina, boycotted the historic ceremony as its demands for a legal basis for the charter were not met. Four other like-minded leftist parties also boycotted.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and members of the National Consensus Committee (NCC) also signed the charter at a ceremony held at the South Plaza of the Parliament. The signing ceremony began with the national anthem and was attended by members of the advisory council, leaders of political parties, and some civil society members and diplomats.

Two representatives from each party signed the charter.

The event was delayed by about half an hour due to rain and demonstrations under the banner of “July Martyrs’ Families and Injured Fighters,” who, a couple of hours before the event, stormed into the venue and clashed with police, fomenting tension in the area.

Amid the demonstrations and demands for the inclusion of their legal protection in the charter, the NCC amended the charter after discussions with the July warriors and consultations with political parties, incorporating the demand. Police cleared the demonstrators from the area by charging batons.

“A new Bangladesh has been introduced through the signing of the National July Charter,” Yunus, chairman of the Consensus Commission, said after signing the charter, which he said would remain immortal in history.

Urging political leaders to hold talks for a fair and festive election, he said the signing of the charter symbolises a tone of unity, and this unity will guide them towards the upcoming national election.

“The tune we played together today is a tune of unity. We will move forward to the election with this same spirit,” Yunus said, reaffirming that the election will be held in February.

He urged political leaders to come together to discuss and determine practical ways to ensure a fair and celebratory election. “We need to hold the next national election in such a way that nobody can raise a question.”

Professor Yunus remembered those who sacrificed their lives during the July Uprising and those who were injured, saying that they, in fact, brought this opportunity for the nation.

Highlighting the potential for regional cooperation for mutual benefits, he said, “We are a great nation. We are not a small nation. We hold our heads high.”

After the ceremony, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters that the signing of the July Charter marks the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s political history.

“Today marks only the beginning of fulfilling the sacrifices of the martyrs, the aspirations of the nation, and the expectations of the people. Through these achievements, we will be able to establish a democratic government and attain a state structure built on democratic reforms,” the party’s standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said in his reactions.

However, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Islami Hamidur Rahman Azad said challenges and crises still remain.

“Today’s signing ceremony has brought a good conclusion. But among the 84 clauses we agreed upon in the Consensus Commission, some members have given notes of dissent – it would have been best if the signing had taken place without any notes of dissent.”

He termed the signing a social contract and, without a legal foundation, the contract cannot fully meet their expectations. “It concerns how much of the charter will actually be implemented and how the implementation process will be determined.”

Asked whether he had doubts about the implementation, he replied that a legal foundation must be provided, without which this charter, the spirit of the revolution, and the reform aimed at achieving consensus will be undermined and become uncertain.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said any charter would lose its significance without the participation of those who led the July Uprising, without mentioning NCP.

Prior to the signing ceremony, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam alleged that some political parties are deceiving the people in the name of national consensus by signing a piece of paper.

Criticising the political parties for misleading the public by portraying it as a national consensus, he said a meeting of a few parties cannot be considered national unity.

The NCC, formed in February, held 67 meetings with political parties in two phases. It also sought written opinions on specific proposals from them. The commission achieved consensus – some with notes of dissent – on 84 reform proposals, which form the basis of the final July Charter.

There has been a sharp division among the parties on two issues. BNP submitted a note of dissent in the upper house over the PR system. The party also wants the referendum on the July Charter and the parliamentary elections to be held on the same day.

On these two points, Jamaat and NCP hold opposing views. They want BNP to withdraw the note of dissent while the referendum is to be held before the national election. Also, NCP declared it will not participate in the signing ceremony unless the charter is given a legal basis.

In this situation, the NCC made an intense effort to bring the parties together. The signing ceremony, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed to Friday to allow more time for consensus-building. Although Jamaat and its allies agreed to sign, NCP remained unbent.

News Courtesy:

Times of India | October 18, 2025