The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizens' Party (NCP) on Tuesday raised objections to the draft of the July Charter proposed by the National Consensus Commission, terming it incomplete and even dangerous.
The objection stems from unresolved reform issues and lack of legal authority granted to the Charter's key areas.
Zoom out: The draft of the July National Charter was handed over to the political parties yesterday, during a meeting of the Consensus Commission.
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It was created as a formal political commitment in the wake of the July Revolution which saw mass public protests and the ouster of then‑Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
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The draft of the Charter was made following discussions with all political parties, with an eye towards dismantling the structures of fascism embedded into the political system.
Zoom in: Based on mutual dialogue and discussion, the draft of the Charter said political parties will implement the structural, legal, and institutional reforms on which they reach a consensus.
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Once the July Charter is adopted, the government who will come through the next election must commit to implement and institutionalise the agreed reforms within two years, it says.
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Apart from this, the draft July Charter outlines commitments in six other areas - recognition of the July martyrs, necessary amendments to the Constitution to implement the July Charter, or rewriting the Constitution if required, and the amendment of existing laws or the enactment of new ones.
What is Jamaat saying: Jamaat-e-Islami's Nayeeb-e-Amir Amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has said the party is preparing its own draft charter to submit to the Commission.
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"This document is incomplete and contains dangerous elements. If it's merely a sample, no comment is needed. But if this represents the final version, we categorically reject it."
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The party has also put forward two alternative proposals: formulating the framework through a presidential ordinance, which would subsequently require parliamentary ratification, and seeking direct democratic mandate by putting the framework to a national referendum for final public approval.
What is NCP saying: NCP Joint Convener Javed Rasin has said the party will deliberate on the draft before deciding whether to endorse it.
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"We have clearly demanded that all consensus issues must be given legal footing before elections, and the next parliamentary polls must be based on that framework. Our party will submit a written position on this demand if necessary."
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"It remains a draft document which the party is currently reviewing. We expect to see all fundamental reform issues included in this draft. If any are omitted, we will deliberate in party forums before deciding whether to endorse it."
On the other hand, speaking about the July Charter, Gono Sanghati Andolan's Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said, "Discussions are ongoing regarding many critical issues in the July Charter. While we've debated matters like the caretaker government system, upper parliamentary chamber, and PR electoral method without reaching consensus, we've found agreement on other vital points. We expect the Commission to incorporate these mutually agreed provisions into the final Charter."
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