bnp slams july charter
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has strongly rejected the recommendations submitted by the National Consensus Commission for implementing the July National Charter, calling them “unilateral” and “forcible.” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that the party is ready to meet with the Chief Adviser of the interim government, if necessary, to discuss the issue.
bnp slams july charter
The BNP leaders raised their objections regarding the implementation recommendations at a press conference held today, Thursday, at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The Core Objection
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated:
It appears that the proposals and recommendations of the Consensus Commission are unilateral and an attempt to forcibly impose them on the nation. This shows that the long, continuous discussions held with political parties by the Reform Commission and the National Consensus Commission over nearly a year were nothing but a meaningless, wasteful, farcical, and deceptive exercise.”
bnp slams july charter
Criticism of a Specific Clause
The BNP Secretary General singled out a particular recommendation for harsh criticism:
• The Recommendation: It suggests that if the Constitutional Reform Council fails to complete the reform process within 270 calendar days from the start of its first session, the Constitution Reform Bill, approved by a referendum, will be automatically incorporated into the Constitution.
• BNP’s Stance: Fakhrul dismissed this as “completely illogical, motivated, and ridiculous.” He argued that any bill only becomes law after it is approved by the National Parliament and receives the President’s assent. He stressed that there is no scope for automatic inclusion into the Constitution, which he deemed contrary to democratic norms and parliamentary sovereignty.
Focus on the Upcoming Election
When asked if these recommendations would affect the scheduled election, Mr. Fakhrul maintained an optimistic view:
“We do not believe these recommendations will impact the timely holding of the election. We still have faith in this government that they will hold the national election in February of next year. We are continuing our activities accordingly.”
Next Steps
Regarding a potential meeting with the Chief Adviser, the BNP Secretary General affirmed, “We will meet the Chief Adviser if required.”
However, Fakhrul clarified that the party will not announce any protest programs regarding this matter for now.
BNP Standing Committee members, including Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salauddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, were present at the press conference.
