15 political parties reach agreement on reforms; Consensus Commission to hold discussions

Starting tomorrow, the Consensus Commission will hold important discussions with political parties about the reform reports in six critical areas, including the election system, public administration, and the judiciary. 

These talks, scheduled to continue until March 24, will take place before the upcoming Eid celebrations. 

So far, 15 political parties have shared their views on the proposed reforms, as announced by the Press Wing of the Interim Government.

Experts believe that while the discussions are focused on reforms, it is equally important to come up with a clear roadmap for the upcoming elections.

The country saw a major political shift last year. On August 5, the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina collapsed after a student-led mass uprising. 

Just a few days later, on August 8, Professor Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of the interim government. In an effort to bring reforms across various sectors, the government created 11 separate commissions in the first week of October. 

Reports from these commissions were submitted shortly after.

To ensure political parties were involved in these reforms, the government set up the Consensus Commission. 

The commission initially sent out reform recommendations to the parties in a structured format, and 15 political parties have already provided their feedback.

Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary for the Chief Advisor, said, 

"Several political parties have already shared their opinions, and 16 other parties have said they will submit their feedback within the next one or two days. Some of these parties are quite significant."

Next, the Consensus Commission will begin one-on-one discussions with the political parties about these reform recommendations. 

The discussions will be held systematically and will continue until March 24, just before the Eid break.

Shafiqul Alam further explained, 

"The talks will be conducted individually with the parties. We want to understand their observations, any concerns they have, and how we can smoothen the democratic process moving forward."

Political analysts are urging that, in addition to discussing reforms, the government should use this opportunity to set a clear roadmap for the elections. 

Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Dhaka University, pointed out, 

"Reforms are needed, but it is equally important to have a clear, democratic process in place. Most political parties are hoping the government will provide a clear roadmap or statement on how elections will be conducted."

As the discussions unfold, the Consensus Commission is seeking input from all political parties on the timeline and methods for implementing the proposed reforms.