Political parties are nearing a consensus on several key reform proposals, including the restoration of the caretaker government, the introduction of a bicameral parliament, and the reservation of 100 seats for women in parliament.
Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz, on Monday revealed the commission's progress in building consensus over the state reform initiatives at a press briefing at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex.
“There is no disagreement among the political parties over the restoration of the caretaker government,” Riaz said.
He noted that most political parties opined that "pluralism" should not be included alongside "equity, human dignity, social justice, and democracy" as the basic principles of the state in the constitution.
“Most of the parties have agreed in principle to form a bicameral parliament. However, some parties have expressed support for maintaining a unicameral parliament,” Riaz said.
All parties supported a proposal to select an opposition lawmaker for the post of deputy speaker, said the commission’s vice chairman.
“There is a sort of consensus among the parties for reserving 100 seats for women in the lower house of parliament. But there is disagreement over the procedure,” said Riaz.
National Consensus Commission members Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Justice Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain, Md Ayub Miah, and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider were present.
The National Consensus Commission launched a series of talks with political parties on March 20 to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.
The commission held talks with 33 parties and alliances, including the BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), before concluding the first round of dialogues on May 19.
Formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, the commission was tasked with shaping a unified national stance on critical reforms.