The government gave the political parties additional time to arrive at a consensus, but that deadline has now passed. The government should no longer depend on the parties; it should instead issue the necessary orders to implement the July Charter in line with the recommendations of the Consensus Commission.
Many of the major reforms outlined in the July Charter carried notes of dissent from the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party). However, we have repeatedly informed the government that a “note of dissent” means it will remain part of the historical record, it does not mean it has been adopted as a formal decision.
From that position, if the government decides to implement the July Charter in full, in line with the commission’s recommendations, incorporating provisions such as proportional representation (PR) in the upper house and other measures, we will welcome that.
We, from the National Citizen Party (NCP), have consistently said that the government order on the July Charter will be the most significant development. What is included—or excluded—in that order will determine which parts of the Charter are ultimately adopted and which are left out.