Some issues ‘unresolved’, Ali Riaz urges all parties to offer concessions

"We hope that you will be able to come back after discussing it among yourselves. The commission also feels that it should hold a meeting as well."

Certain issues discussed in the second round of National Consensus Commission talks, including the formation of an upper house of parliament and the presidential election process, remain “unresolved”, says the panel’s Vice Chairman Ali Riaz.

He urged political parties to make concessions and reach an agreement on these issues with the aim of preparing the July Charter.

He said that there had been a request from political parties for some more discussions at the policymaking level. In this regard, the commission also feels that some time is needed for discussions, he said.

The fifth day of the second round of discussions between the commission and political parties is underway at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road on Sunday.

The commission met with political parties to discuss the post of the prime minister, the basic principles of the state and the determination of constituencies.

Ali Riaz said, "Some issues have remained unresolved in the discussions during the last few days. Among them is the formation of an upper house - how will an upper house be formed? How will women be represented? What will be the process for the presidential election? We could not come to a consensus on these issues.

"A few political parties have contacted us in this regard and we have also contacted a few political parties."

The issue of the upper house is important, said Ali Riaz.

He said, "There has been a request from the political parties - they want to discuss it at a policy-making level. For that, we need some time. That is why we have taken a decision on the part of the commission - we will discuss these issues a little later, i.e. next week."

Ali Riaz also said that the dialogue will be postponed for the next two days.

"We hope that you will be able to come back after discussing it during this time. The commission also feels that it should hold a meeting as well."

The vice-chairman of the commission said, "Let's come to a place where we can agree, see how far we can get, and make some concessions. Those who are coming, let us go forward. Let us conclude this section of the phase by signing the July charter."

Representatives from 30 political parties participated in the dialogue.

Ali Riaz presided over the meeting, joined by commission members Badiul Alam Mazumdar, Ayub Mia, Safar Raj Hossain, and retired justices Emdadul Haque and Iftekharruzzaman.