Why hold dialogue if all proposals must be accepted: Salahuddin

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has questioned the very purpose of the ongoing national consensus talks, arguing there is little point in dialogue if parties are expected to fully accept all proposals put forward by the National Consensus Commission.

Speaking to the media at Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Sunday after a daylong round of talks with the commission, Salahuddin said, “If we are required to be 100 percent in agreement with every proposal from the National Consensus Commission, then why hold discussions at all?”

He clarified that the BNP does support certain key proposals, including allowing members of parliament to elect the president through a secret ballot. “This shows consensus is possible. The plan is to compile all points of agreement into what’s being called the July Charter or National Charter. But if we are compelled to agree on everything, that defeats the purpose,” he argued.

Salahuddin highlighted that the commission on Sunday presented revised proposals on appointing constitutional bodies, establishing a bicameral parliament, and defining the powers of the lower house. “Our position remains unchanged. We have already shared our views on appointments to constitutional and statutory bodies.”

He also stressed the need to overhaul existing laws governing institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission. “There must be democratic reforms to ensure transparency and accountability. On all such matters, we favor building consensus and then legislating accordingly, to maintain a balance among the executive, judiciary, and legislature.”

Regarding the lower house, he said the BNP agreed with the current method of parliamentary elections as laid out by the commission, although he acknowledged that a few other parties might hold different views. As a result, these issues remain unresolved.

The National Consensus Commission has recently expressed frustration over the lack of full agreement among political parties, which has delayed finalizing the July Charter. Responding to this, Salahuddin said, “No one has shown more sincerity than us. We have clearly stated our position on the core national principles. We agreed to include Article 70 reforms in the national charter, along with ensuring that opposition members chair parliamentary standing committees.”

He added, “We have also agreed that no one should serve as prime minister for more than 10 years in their lifetime. But on certain points, like constitutional appointment committees similar to the NCC, we insist on sticking to our original proposals.”