Bangladesh is poised to witness a historic political milestone as the July National Charter 2025, described by officials as a "historic consensus document," is set to be signed on Friday at the South Plaza of the National Parliament.
The signatures of Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP are uncertain as they put conditions before their presence at the signing ceremony today. Jamaat declares not to sign the Charter unless the holding of referendum on PR not held in November. NCP decided not to sign the Charter until its 3 demands are not met.
The signing ceremony, presided over by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, will bring together representatives of most major political parties, civil society leaders, and members of the National Consensus Commission (NCC)-the body tasked with crafting a shared framework for post-uprising political and administrative reforms.
The Charter, which emerged from months of dialogue among more than two dozen political, civic, and professional organizations, outlines principles for electoral integrity, decentralization, judicial independence, anti-corruption measures, civilian oversight of security forces, and reforms in education and economic sectors aimed at "inclusive national development."
Despite the final ceremony approaching, divisions persist. Several political parties have yet to confirm participation, and others are reportedly holding parallel consultations over the Charter's implications for the political landscape.
Vice Chair of the NCC, Prof Ali Riaz, told reporters Thursday evening at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad, that the Commission will place a clear, specific, and comprehensive recommendation before the government for the Charter's implementation within its extended tenure, which ends on October 31.
"The tenure of the Commission has already been extended until October 31. We will present a full recommendation to the government on the implementation of the Charter within this period," Prof Riaz said. He emphasized the NCC's commitment to ensuring the Charter's proper execution and hoped that all political parties would sign the document amid a festive atmosphere, keeping aside differences.
The NCC plans to submit a detailed report of around 3,000 pages in eight volumes to the government before the end of its tenure, outlining the entire process and implementation steps. Preparations for the signing ceremony, including an audio-visual presentation, are nearly complete, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki confirmed.
The final version of the July Charter, sent to political parties on October 14, contains 84 major reform recommendations and a seven-point commitment proposal for its implementation. Each of the 33 political parties and alliances was asked to nominate two representatives to sign the Charter.
However, not all parties are on board. Jamaat-e-Islami has stated it will not sign unless the draft explicitly includes a proposal for holding a November referendum on introducing the proportional representation (PR) system for both houses of parliament. Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said the party will attend the signing only if outstanding issues, including the PR proposal, are resolved through discussion.
Similarly, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has demanded that three specific preconditions be met before signing. Chief among them is the issuance of a formal July Charter Implementation Order, which must be made public. NCP Convener Nahid Islam alleged that the integrity of the July Declaration had been compromised through content manipulation and exclusion of key provisions agreed upon in earlier consultations.
"The content of the July Declaration has been cheated. Many important statements and narratives were deliberately left out, and the full text was never shown to all participating parties," Nahid Islam told reporters at a press conference on Thursday. He insisted that the NCP would only sign the Charter after reviewing the draft Implementation Order and ensuring it meets the people's demands.
However, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said people will know it on Frdiay whether BNP will sign the July Charter or not. "Don't be so restless. Wait a little; a bit of tension is good," Fakhrul said at a public rally in Thakurgaon.
Despite these reservations, officials remain hopeful that the signing will proceed smoothly. Prof Riaz reiterated the NCC's commitment to presenting a comprehensive recommendation to the government and expressed confidence that the implementation process will begin with participation from all parties.
Other signatories include representatives from citizen alliances, minor parties, and ideological movements. However, parties such as CPB, BASAD, BASAD (Marxist), JASAD, and Ganoforum have opted not to sign at this stage.
As the nation awaits the signing, the event is expected to draw politicians, civil society representatives, and citizens from all walks of life, marking a historic moment in Bangladesh's political reform journey following the 2024-2025 mass movements that ousted the previous regime.
