Uncertainty surrounds signing of July National Charter 2025; Emergency meeting called

Uncertainty has emerged regarding the signing of the July National Charter 2025, arising from last-minute disagreements over its implementation process. 

As a result, stakeholders are unsure if the scheduled signing ceremony on Friday, October 17, will proceed as planned.

In response, the National Consensus Commission has convened an emergency meeting with political parties to address the developing situation. 

The meeting is set for 6:00 pm on Wednesday at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, Chief Adviser and National Consensus Commission President Professor Muhammad Yunus returned to Dhaka on Wednesday morning following his trip to Italy. 

In the afternoon, he chaired a meeting of the Commission at the State Guest House Jamuna to prepare for the charter signing.

The Chief Adviser's press wing announced that the evening emergency meeting will cover overall preparations for the signing and related matters, with Professor Yunus in attendance at the Foreign Service Academy session.

Attendees at the afternoon meeting included Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz; members Justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Safar Raj Hossain, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder, and Dr. Md. Ayub Mia; as well as Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider. 

Also present were National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman and Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser M Siraj Uddin Mia.

On Tuesday, the Commission invited parties to the October 17 signing but did not include the final charter's implementation procedure. 

Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) have stated they will not sign without reviewing implementation recommendations. 

Sources indicate that five other Islamist parties, including the Islamic Andolon, align with Jamaat's stance and will refrain from signing. 

Additionally, Bangladesh JSD, CPB, BSD, and BSD-Marxist plan to abstain due to included notes of dissent in the charter. 

The Gono Forum is also contemplating non-participation, while several parties on the Democracy Platform favour boycotting the event.

Discussions within Jamaat continue on the charter. Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad told Ajker Patrika that the party will decide on signing only after learning the implementation process, emphasising that no decision will be made beforehand.

Following the charter's distribution, Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz held an informal meeting with NCP leaders on Tuesday night. 

The NCP warned that without resolving implementation, the charter risks failing like the 1990s three-alliance outline. They insisted on not signing unless reforms advance via a 'constitutional order'.

Sources report that the NCP views prior concessions during the July Declaration's formulation as sufficient and sees no further room for compromise. They advocate restarting talks on reforms, particularly constitutional ones. 

Joint Convener Sarwar Tushar noted the charter's omission of implementation details, questioning how parties can sign without guarantees. The NCP will finalise its position after internal deliberations, he continued.