Ali Riaz calls for reform consensus by July 31

National Consensus Commission Vice Chairman Professor Ali Riaz urged political parties to reach an agreement on key state reform issues by July 31 to finalize a proposed national charter.

“We are trying to reach a logical point by the end of July, by any means,” Prof Riaz said during the 12th day of the second round of reform dialogues at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. “Our target is to finalize this by July 30. At most, we may extend to July 31.”

He emphasized that agreement on fundamental reform issues, such as the appointment of the Chief Justice, the declaration of a state of emergency, and the structure of the caretaker government, is crucial to preparing the national charter.

He also connected this effort to the legacy of the martyrs from last July and August’s mass uprising.

In his opening remarks, Prof Riaz asked party representatives to adopt moderate positions for the sake of reaching consensus. “It’s natural for political parties to have differing views, but I urge you to consider a middle ground. If you secure a public mandate later, you’ll be able to implement your position,” he said.

He added, “The commission takes your statements seriously. We must come to a conclusion. If you engage with that mindset, consensus is possible.”

The ongoing dialogue, involving 30 political parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, CPB, and AB Party, aims to unify opinions around state reform proposals and finalize the so-called ‘July Charter.’

Among others, commission members Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, Dr Md Ayub Mia, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Safar Raj Hossain, and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Monir Haider were present on the occasion.

The Commission was formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who also opened the second phase of dialogues on June 2. The first round of talks took place between March 20 and May 19, engaging 33 political parties and alliances.