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Published : 17 Oct 2025, 01:55 AM
Friday will witness the signing of the July National Charter, a landmark declaration of state reform -- even as sharp divisions among political parties threaten to overshadow the historic event.
Calls for unity compete with public dissent, legal uncertainties, and unresolved debates over the referendum.
The Charter -- containing a detailed set of state reform recommendations and pledges -- will be signed in the afternoon under the open sky on the South Plaza of parliament, where over 30 political parties have been invited.
On Thursday, the National Citizen Party and seven other parties declared they would not attend the signing ceremony. The announcement came a day after the chief advisor, who heads the National Consensus Commission, convened an emergency meeting with party and alliance leaders to ease the growing uncertainty.
That 75-minute meeting again revealed sharp divisions over how the July Charter should be implemented and when the proposed referendum should be held -- and ended without resolution.
Later that evening, Consensus Commission Vice-President Ali Riaz held a press conference at the LD Hall, urging all parties to join Friday’s signing in a “celebratory spirit”. He assured that those unwilling or unable to sign now would still have opportunities later.
Riaz also said the commission would formally submit recommendations to the government on how to implement the Charter within its mandate.
In a separate message, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus called on all citizens to witness the signing ceremony live, describing it as a “historic moment of unity”.
“This is our time to celebrate together -- to feel the strength of unity, and to draw hope and pride from this historic day,” he said.
Preparations are in full swing. Officials said a stage is being built midway on parliament’s South Plaza stairs with seating for around 3,000 guests.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has taken charge of decorations, while its advisor, filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, hinted at several performances and exhibitions planned for the day.
Riaz confirmed that all stage and logistical arrangements have been completed to mark the signing of the Charter -- the declaration of state reform decisions and commitments. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4pm, with political representatives signing the Charter in the presence of the chief advisor.
The July Charter follows the Aug 5 mass uprising last year that toppled the Awami League government and brought in the interim administration led by Yunus. As part of its reform roadmap, six reform commissions were established in October.
After the commissions submitted their reports in February, dialogues were held with political parties to reach a consensus on key recommendations covering the Constitution, election system, judiciary, public administration, and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The Consensus Commission finalised the July Charter based on full agreement among the parties on 84 reform points across 17 areas of state reform. However, disagreements persisted over 67 other points, where parties recorded dissenting opinions or formal notes of objection.
Of the 84 reform points, 47 require constitutional amendments, while 37 can be enacted through laws, ordinances, regulations, or executive orders.
The 40-page July Charter details the reform proposals and outlines the Consensus Commission’s journey, followed by sections specifying each political party’s pledges and designated space for signatures.
The government is simultaneously preparing to hold the parliamentary polls before Ramadan in February, once the July Charter is signed.
WHAT THE PARTIES ARE SAYING
The National Citizen Party (NCP) said it will not sign the July National Charter or attend the signing ceremony, citing the "lack" of a legal foundation.
On Thursday, the party sent a message to the media at midnight confirming its decision.
In the message sent on behalf of the party, NCP leader Mushfiq Us Salehin said: “The NCP will not take part in [Friday’s] July Charter signing ceremony. Since this event does not establish any legal foundation, it remains a mere formality.
“We have repeatedly raised the issue of legal legitimacy. For that reason, we are not taking part now. But as the commission has extended the timeframe, we will join the process later to present our stance and sign once our demands are met,” he added.
Earlier, at the party’s temporary office in Banglamotor, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam told reporters: “Tomorrow’s event is for signing the July Charter. Without a clear legal foundation -- a formal order to give it effect -- such a signing is merely symbolic.
“The July Charter has already been drafted. The referendum and all subsequent steps must be based on a constitutional order. We had asked for a legal basis for the July Proclamation itself, but that never happened. Even the wording of the Proclamation was manipulated -- what was shown to us earlier was later altered and filled with compromise language.
“We do not want to witness another meaningless event. Without the legal order and assurance, signing this Charter would be worthless. Unless that certainty comes, we will not be part of the signing.”
Four left-wing parties -- the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Socialist Party of Bangladesh (BaSaD), BaSaD (Marxist), and Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Bangladesh JaSaD) -- also announced they will not sign the Charter.
They cited seven reasons, including the removal of the four fundamental principles of the Constitution and omissions of guarantees of basic rights and freedom from the commitments section.
At a joint press conference on Thursday afternoon, their leaders said the Charter “effectively denies the foundations of Bangladesh’s independence and Liberation War”. They argued that committing to a document that cannot be challenged in court was “unacceptable”.
Gono Forum’s General Secretary Mizanur Rahman also confirmed his party would not sign.
“We had objections from the beginning about several issues, including the exclusion of the four core constitutional principles,” he told bdnews24.com. “Our input has not been reflected in the final document, so we will not sign.”
Rastro Songskar Andolan Convenor Hasnat Kaiyum said his group had given the Consensus Commission several conditions regarding the implementation process.
“If those are resolved, we’ll attend the ceremony; if not, we won’t sign,” he said.
When asked late Thursday night whether his party would attend the next day, Kaiyum replied: “We’re still undecided -- more discussions among ourselves are needed.”
Within the Jamaat-e-Islami, uncertainty also lingers over whether to attend, mainly due to internal disagreements on the referendum timeline.
After Wednesday’s emergency meeting, Jamaat deputy chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said: “Now, there’s some difference of opinion within our party about when the referendum should take place.
“As for whether we’ll attend on Friday -- well, just wait and see, God willing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jamaat Central Executive Council member Matiur Rahman Akand has demanded that the referendum be held in November, following the signing.
He said, “We’re signing on the points we agreed upon during the Charter’s drafting. Our party’s official stance -- that the referendum be held to give legal effect to the Charter -- has already been submitted to the Election Commission.”
BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed confirmed his party will attend the signing.
“We’ll all sign the July Charter,” he said. “Our differing opinions and notes of dissent will be clearly listed point by point. Those were part of the discussions within the Consensus Commission itself -- that’s what the forum was for.
“The referendum and national election can be held the same day, allowing both the consensus-approved and dissent-marked points of the July National Charter to move forward for implementation,” Salahuddin added.
