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Published : 11 Nov 2025, 09:42 PM
How the July National Charter will be implemented will become clear within the next three to four days, according to Law Advisor Asif Nazrul.
On Tuesday, he said the government had expected political parties to provide a unified directive through discussions, but continued working in the meantime.
He spoke to reporters after a discussion at the Judicial Administration Training Institute on amendments to the Legal Aid Provision Ordinance, 2025.
Nazrul said, “We did not wait idly; we acted according to our own assessment. What steps we have taken regarding the Charter’s implementation will be clear within three to four days.”
The interim government had given political parties seven days to reach an agreement on when a referendum under the July Charter would be held. That period ended on Monday. During this time, neither the government nor the parties reported any progress toward consensus, and no joint discussions among parties were visible.
The Jamaat-e-Islami claimed it attempted to reach out to the BNP for discussions but received no response. Senior BNP leaders said all possible consensus on the Charter had already been achieved, and any further talks must be initiated by the government, not the parties.
Nazrul added, “We are discussing the matter at different levels of the Advisory Council. We will coordinate expectations across all parties and take whatever steps are necessary in the interest of the country and its people.”
Disagreements over the referendum date emerged near the end of nearly eight months of dialogue led by the National Consensus Commission. Despite this, parties signed the July National Charter, 2025 on Oct 17, based on a series of reform proposals. 25 political party leaders, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, and members of the National Consensus Commission signed the document.
On Oct 28, the Commission submitted detailed recommendations on the Charter’s implementation to the chief advisor. The report suggested that the referendum could be held either on the day of the parliamentary election or before it, leaving the interim government responsible for the final decision.
Six days after receiving the recommendations, on Nov 3, the government called on parties to reach consensus, giving them one week. At an emergency meeting of the Advisory Council, Nazrul said urgent decisions were needed regarding the referendum date, its content, and steps to reconcile differing views in the Charter.
“Political parties that have long supported the anti-fascist movement were urged to consult internally and provide unified guidance to the government as soon as possible, ideally within a week,” he said.
At a seminar on technology in election manifestos, Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said: “If political parties cannot decide, the interim government will take a decision.”
On Monday, Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, since parties failed to reach consensus, the government would make a decision independently.
DRAFT OF LEGAL AID (SECOND AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE
During Tuesday’s session, the National Legal Aid Services Organization presented the draft Legal Aid Provision (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
The proposal emphasises converting the agency into a department, expanding its mandate, and strengthening legal aid operations, based on recommendations from the Judicial Reform Commission and Consensus Commission, and the July Charter.
The draft includes provisions on:
• Departmental responsibilities and functions
• Formation of a Legal Aid Advisory Council
• Establishment of Metropolitan Committees
• Determining operational areas for NGOs
• Providing accreditation certificates for mediators
