No feedback on reforms recommendation yet from 30 political parties

The Consensus Commision says its contacting with 14 parties anew while the 16 others requested for more time

The political parties were asked to send opinions on recommendations from the reform commissions by Mar 13, but the National Consensus Commission has received responses from only seven parties within the deadline.

As many as 16 political parties requested for several more days to provide their views on the recommendations delivered by six reform commissions.

In a notice on Thursday, the Consensus Commission said it was contacting the 14 other parties for feedback once again.

The seven parties that submitted feedback within the deadline are: the Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, Khelafat Majlish, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh, Zaker Party, Bhasani Followers Council, Nationalist Democratic Movement, or NDM, and Aam Janatar Dal, or People’s Party.

Discussion with these parties could kick off by next Tuesday or Wednesday while dialogue with their leaders at parliament would be held separately, the notice read.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime in the face of the student-led mass uprising on Aug 5 last year, an interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus took over and formed 11 reform commissions to drive state reform initiatives.

Chief Advisor Yunus himself leads the Consensus Commission, which aims to hold discussions with parties and political forces to form a national consensus and review the recommendations made by the reform panels ahead of the next parliamentary elections.

It began its six-month tenure on Feb 15.

The notice mentioned that the government already released the complete reports of the six commissions, including the constitutional, electoral, Anti-Corruption Commission, police reform, judiciary and public administration reform panels.

The Consensus Commission will initiate discussions after receiving the parties’ feedback on the recommendations by the reform panels.

Vice President of the commission, Ali Riaz said they had been expecting the opinions of all parties and alliances by Mar 13.

The vital recommendations from the report were organised in spreadsheets, while any other suggestions from the reform commissions would also be incorporated into them, according to a letter to the parties and alliances.

The letter reads: “The commission will begin discussions later depending on acquisition of specific feedback from your part.”

The letter is accompanied by a summary of the important recommendations by the six reform commissions in the form of a spreadsheet.

The name of the party and the name and title of the person in charge will be included.

Feedbacks have been sought for each recommendation (check one of three). They are – ‘agree’, ‘disagree’ and ‘partially agree’.

Any one of the six options relating to the timeframe and means of implementation of the reforms must be checked.

These options are: “through an ordinance before the election”, “through a referendum before the election”, “through a referendum during the election”, “through the National Assembly”, “through Constitutional reform after the election” and “through the National Assembly and the legislature elected by parliament”.

Additionally, the parties have space to provide comments next to each recommendation.