The signing of the July National Charter 2025 by all 30 political parties that took part in the National Consensus Commission dialogue is still uncertain, with only a day left before the scheduled signing on Friday.
Amid the uncertainty, chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, also the chair of the consensus commission, met the parties Wednesday evening at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
His call for sustaining the unity of the parties, lasting through the whole consensus-building process to facilitate the formulation of the July Charter, apparently was not entertained by several parties, as they said that they would not sign the charter.
Moreover, National Citizen Party member secretary Akhter Hossen, one of the key leaders of the 2024 July uprising, and leaders of some of the Islamic parties, said that they were still undecided about signing the charter.
In the meeting, Professor Yunus urged the political parties to make the signing ceremony a memorable event.
鈥榊ou have done a remarkable job [formulation of the July Charter]. Now, you shall spread the essence of the consensus you have reached so far across the country,鈥� he said, praising the parties and the consensus commission members.
According to the commission officials, representatives of the 30 political parties who are expected to sign the charter have already been finalised.
Alongside the politicians, 3,000 guests were invited to the charter signing ceremony at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad.
Although the parties鈥� demand for finalising the execution of the charter, specifically by legalising it by a referendum, has been finalised, persisting debates about the date of the referendum divide the parties till Wednesday.
Addressing the meeting, NCP member secretary Akter Hossen raised his concerns about some last time steps ahead of the signing ceremony.
鈥楾he charter lacks clarity in the execution process. We expect that the interim government will clarify the question regarding a referendum and the charter execution method before the signing,鈥� he said.
He said that his party was still undecided about signing the charter.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher arrived at the meeting late.
After the meeting, he said that his party representatives would be present in the signing ceremony. However, he did not confirm whether his party would sign the charter.
鈥榃e have repeated our demand for holding the referendum by November, or before the 13th national elections,鈥� he said.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that his party is ready to sign the charter.
He, however, requested the chief adviser to hold the national elections within the stipulated time, warning that delayed national elections would prolong post-uprising chaos.
鈥楤NP鈥檚 support to the government is conditional. This is not limitless. BNP鈥檚 only condition is that the government facilitates the national election,鈥� he said.
Saying that the debates over the timing of the referendum were raised only to delay the national elections, he repeated his party鈥檚 position for holding the referendum and national election simultaneously on the same day.
After the meeting, representatives of several religion-based parties, including the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, said that they would decide about their presence in the signing ceremony later, probably on early Friday.
Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh, and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) said that they would not sign the charter if their demand for maintaining the existing fundamental principles in the charter is not addressed.
Leaders of the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, the Amar Bangladesh Party, the Ganosamhati Andolan, the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, and the Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, the components of Ganatantra Mancha, also spoke in the meeting, urging major parties to minimise differences.
Ahead of the evening meeting, the chief adviser chaired a meeting with the consensus commission members at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka.
Besides the commission members, the meeting was also attended by national security adviser Khalilur Rahman and the chief adviser鈥檚 principal secretary M Siraj Uddin Mia.