Twelve more political parties responded to the National Consensus Commission on Friday, the final day for submitting opinions on the draft July National Charter 2025, proposing three different methods for adopting the charter.
Among the respondents, the National Citizen Party repeated its earlier position, recommending a constituent assembly, to be elected by the people, for adopting the whole charter.
Meanwhile, the Ganosamhati Andolan, a component of the Ganatantra Mancha, suggested electing a 鈥榗onstitution reform council鈥� to adopt the charter.
In contrast, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod recommended implementing non-constitutional reforms through an ordinance and adopting constitutional amendments in the next parliament.
Some smaller political groups, allied with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, demanded that the charter be implemented while聽 maintaining the existing constitution.
After sharing the final draft on August 16, the NCC had asked political parties to submit opinions by August 20. Following requests from some parties for an extension, the commission set August 22 as the final deadline.
By Friday evening, 24 parties, including the BNP and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, had submitted their opinions.
Parties that did not respond, included the Nagorik Oikko, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Gano Adhikar Parishad, Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh, and Islami Oikyo Jote, according to an NCC press statement.
The draft charter was structured in three parts: a prologue outlining the historical context of reform initiatives, 84 reform issues 鈥榓greed鈥� by most parties, and a covenant.
In its submission, the NCP argued that the draft covenant failed to define the method of incorporating charter provisions into the constitution. It demanded that an elected constituent assembly should perform this job.
Opposing section 8 of the draft covenant, which authorises the interim government to execute immediate reforms before the next national election, the NCP called for implementing the entire charter.
The party also suggested renaming the document as 鈥楯uly Charter 2025鈥�, dropping the word 鈥楴ational鈥�.
The Ganosamhati Andolan recommended correcting wording and historical references in the draft, including descriptions of Bangladesh鈥檚 emergence.
It further suggested that the interim government chief adviser, also the NCC chair, forward the charter to the chief justice for Supreme Court validation.
The party proposed holding the upcoming election as one for the constitution reform council to ensure the charter鈥檚 adoption in a sustainable and legitimate way.
Other Ganatantra Mancha components include the RWPB, Nagorik Oikko, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal鈥揓SD, Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, and Bhasani Janasakti Party. The alliance was formed in 2023 against the Awami League regime.
Contrary to the Ganosamhati Andolan stance, the RWPB said that endorsement by political parties would be sufficient for implementing the charter.
RWPB general secretary Saiful Huq said that the party recommends executing non-constitutional reforms by an ordinance now and handling constitutional amendments in the next parliament.
Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal鈥揓asod strongly argued that the charter should include only widely accepted reform issues, excluding those with dissent.
It opposed a constituent assembly or referendum for adopting the charter, calling them unnecessary.
The party also rejected repealing article 7A, which prevents illegal power grabs, and article 150(2), which preserves the historic March 7 speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the Proclamation of Independence of April 10, 1971.
The Jatiyatabadi Somomona Jote, in its opinion, sought clarity on several provisions under the 鈥�84 agreed points鈥� section and questioned the draft鈥檚 consistency.
The alliance warned that placing the charter over the constitution and existing laws in importance would violate the constitution and set a dangerous precedent.
It further argued that incorporating the charter into the constitution, seeking validation from the Appellate Division, and making the document unquestionable would all be unconstitutional.
Section 3 of the draft covenant authorises the Appellate Division to explain the charter while section 4 terms the charter unquestionable in any court.
The Labour Party of Bangladesh, another BNP ally, raised concerns about including unresolved issues such as local government reforms in the draft charter.
The party recommended adopting the charter while maintaining the existing constitution and laws.
The Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, in a press statement issued after a meeting on Friday, said that the best way to implement the charter would be to hold simultaneous elections for both the national parliament and a constitutional reform assembly.
On Friday evening, the NCC confirmed that the deadline for submitting opinions would not be extended further.
An official of the commission, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the NCC would resume dialogue with political parties from August 26.