Dhaka: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday accused the country’s National Consensus Commission of “deceiving” the people and political parties with its final recommendations on the July Charter, calling for its immediate correction by incorporating the notes of dissent.
The remarks were made by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir following the submission of the NCC’s recommendations to Chief Advisor of the interim government Muhammad Yunus on ways to implement the July Charter.
“The Consensus Commission yesterday (Tuesday) submitted its final recommendations to the Chief Adviser, who is also the Commission’s chairman. We were surprised to see that the issues on which we clearly disagreed, and for which we gave notes of dissent, were completely ignored,” Bangladeshi media outlet UNB quoted the BNP leader as saying while speaking at a book publication ceremony in Dhaka
He further stated that the Commission had earlier promised to record all notes of dissent.
“But when the recommendations were made public, those notes were completely ignored. This cannot be called a consensus. It is a deception of the people and the political parties. I think these issues must be corrected immediately,” Fakhrul added.
The BNP leader said that the root cause of all problems lies in ensuring a genuine election that would lead to the formation of a people’s parliament, enabling reforms to be incorporated in the constitution and the country to be governed accordingly.
“I want to draw the attention of the Chief Advisor. You have made a commitment to the people to carry out the necessary reforms and to hold an acceptable election. The parliament formed through that election will be the place to resolve all these crises. I would like to make it clear that if there is any deviation from this, or if you go beyond it, you will have to take full responsibility,” Fakhrul stated
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed also alleged that the NCC’s recommendations neither represent the discussions held with political parties nor conform to the provisions of the July Charter signed on October 17.
“The charter includes only the Commission’s proposals. It does not mention what the political parties recommended, where consensus was reached, or where notes of dissent were recorded,” Ahmed said, while speaking at a seminar in the capital.
Bangladesh continues to face growing uncertainty and political turmoil ahead of next year’s election.
The parties that earlier collaborated with Yunus to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, are now at loggerheads over reform proposals.
(IANS)
