The National Consensus Commission has held multiple rounds of talks with political parties to implement the July Charter, but differences remain. NCP Convenor Nahid Islam earlier said his party would only contest elections if the July Charter is enforced.
Commission Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain stated that while most parties supported proportional representation in the upper house, BNP and a few others opposed it. Out of 20 agenda points in the second round, BNP issued notes of dissent on seven.
“BNP’s goodwill could make immediate implementation possible. Blocking it would be a betrayal of the nation,” Akhtar warned. He stressed that all constitution-related points agreed upon must be included in the new constitution, otherwise “street action will follow with all parties united.”
Senior leader Ariful Islam Adib added that only a Constituent Assembly election can provide durability to the July Charter, but accused BNP of reducing it to a political compromise while keeping the old structure intact.