Tensions flared during a meeting of the National Consensus Commission on Wednesday, June 18, when several political leaders were reportedly prevented from speaking.
The incident took place at 4:00 PM at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
Leaders from various political parties walked out of the meeting in protest. Among them were Ruhin Hossain Prince, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB); Dr. Mizanur Rahman, General Secretary of Gano Forum; and Shahadat Hossain Selim, Coordinator of the 12-Party Alliance. However, some of these leaders later rejoined the session after receiving assurances from the commission.
The disruption reportedly stemmed from comments made by Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, which triggered dissatisfaction among other participants.
Addressing the issue, Ruhin Hossain Prince alleged that the meeting was conducted with bias. “Three representatives from Jamaat were allowed to speak, but when even one of us tried to speak, we were interrupted. We protested this alongside Mizanur Rahman and Shahadat Hossain Selim. The commission has officially recorded our objection, which is why we eventually chose to leave.”
Shahadat Hossain Selim added, “When we tried to speak, we were stopped. Jamaat-e-Islami was making irrelevant comments, and when I pointed that out, I was asked, ‘How many people do you represent?’”
The incident reflects growing tensions and dissatisfaction among participants regarding fairness and balance in the commission’s proceedings.
