The National Citizen Party (NCP) has called for the formation of a constituent assembly to ensure that constitutional amendments and reforms agreed under the “July Charter” can be implemented sustainably.
Speaking at a meeting of the National Consensus Commission on Sunday at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka—attended by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus—NCP Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain said, “We believe only through elections to a constituent assembly can the new constitution and rewritten articles, clauses and provisions be implemented in a sustainable way. For this, political parties must reach consensus.”
Hossain noted that the NCP has been in ongoing discussions with the Commission, focusing on two main areas: matters not directly tied to the constitution, which can be enacted via ordinances or executive orders, and matters fundamentally linked to the state structure and constitution. “There are significant proposed changes to the basic framework of the constitution,” he said. “We are concerned whether such major changes can be sustainably secured only through constitutional amendments.”
Referring to past court challenges that struck down certain amendments, Hossain warned that without proper mechanisms, future reforms could face similar legal obstacles. “We are calling on political parties to agree on a method to ensure these basic changes to the constitution remain sustainable and effective,” he added.
Hossain expressed hope that political parties would arrive at a “positive decision” on implementing the July Charter.
The meeting was chaired by Commission Vice-Chair Professor Ali Riaz and moderated by Monir Haydar, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on the National Consensus Commission. Among others, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed, and Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad also addressed the event.
