The signing ceremony of the July Charter, which outlines commitments to state reform, has been completed following a brief delay caused by rain and clashes between “July fighters” and police.
The event began at the South Plaza of the National Parliament shortly after 4:30pm on Friday when Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus took the stage to the tune of a band. He was welcomed by Ali Riaz, vice chairman of the National Consensus Commission, which organised the ceremony.
The signing ceremony began with the national anthem shortly thereafter.
He was accompanied by the leaders of the political parties involved in the formulation of the July Charter.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by frontline leaders of the Students Against Discrimination movement who spearheaded the July Uprising, did not attend the ceremony though they had initially led the charge on demanding the July Charter.
Four leftist parties, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh, actively participated in the discussions on the formulation of the July Charter but said they would not attend the ceremony over some disagreements with the text.
Yunus was accompanied on stage by a number of leaders from major political parties, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP National Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Jamaat-e-Islami deputy chief Syed Abdullah Md Taher, the party’s Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, Gonosanhati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, Abul Hasan Rubel of Nagorik Oikya, and Rastro Songskar Andolan’s Hasnat Qayyum.
Advisory Council members, diplomats and invited representatives of all classes and professions participated in the programme.
Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy chief Admiral M Nazmul Hassan and Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan were also in the audience.
In his welcome speech, Ali Riaz said: “Today is an unprecedented and unique time in the history of the country – a milestone in the long journey of the country during a critical period.”
The programme was moderated by Monir Haider, special assistant to the chief advisor, who highlighted the continuity of the government’s reforms and the work of the National Consensus Commission.