Prof Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission, has said the commission aims to finalize the national charter by the end of July, expressing hope that political parties are equally committed to this goal.
Speaking on the 15th day of the commission’s second phase of dialogue with political parties on Sunday, at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Ali Riaz said the commission believes this is something the political parties undoubtedly want as well.
"That is why we are able to move forward. We have already reached agreement on many points, while a few remaining issues need to be resolved through discussion.”
The day's agenda included two key topics: the caretaker government and the provision allowing the prime minister to hold multiple positions.
“Our target is to reach a position on the charter by July 31. This reflects the collective will and effort of all stakeholders, including the people of this country,” said Ali Riaz.
He added that political parties have given the commission the responsibility to decide on the formation of an upper house.
“The commission was expected to announce a decision after discussions on Friday and Saturday. However, we have decided to take more time to review the positions of various parties. We will consider potential reactions and associated factors before making a final decision, hopefully in the next two or three days.”
Regarding the caretaker government issue, Ali Riaz said: “After several days of discussion, the commission had tabled a number of proposals for consideration. In response, parties such as the Revolutionary Workers Party, BNP, NCP, and Jamaat submitted their own proposals. Based on those inputs and the essence of past discussions, the commission has now prepared an integrated proposal. We hope today’s talks will lead us closer to a resolution.”
He further stated: “We have been involved in the struggle to reinstate the caretaker government over the past 14 years. On this issue, we have reached consensus. Now we are working to agree on the structure of the chief adviser. The commission not only hopes for this—it firmly believes in it.”