Bangladesh's political parties sign post-uprising reform agendas

Dhaka [Bangladesh], October 17 : In Bangladesh, 25 political parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, on Friday signed the "July National Charter 2025" with the aim of carrying out post-uprising reforms.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), a new student-led political party in Bangladesh, did not sign due to a lack of an implementation roadmap.

The charter was signed in a grand ceremony at the south plaza of the Bangladesh parliament building in the capital, Dhaka. The country's interim government's chief, Muhammad Yunus, was present at the ceremony.

Outside the event, some young people who participated in the July movement protested. They felt that the Charter had not met their expectation. Law enforcement forces dispersed the protesters by lathi charge, throwing teargas and sound grenades.

Chief Adviser and Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, Dr Muhammad Yunus, today said that through the signing of the National July Charter, a new Bangladesh has been introduced.

During his speech, Yunus urged all not to deviate from the July Charter. "We have entered into a civilised society from barbarism," he said.

The charter did not include any implementation roadmap. In July 2024, a student-led movement led to the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 of that year. Sheikh Hasina fled to India, and an interim government was formed under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The National Consensus Commission was formed under Yunus's leadership to formulate proposals for state reforms based on the motto of the July Movement. The commission held months of discussions with the parties involved in the movement to oust Sheikh Hasina, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and NCP.

However, the interim government has kept Sheikh Hasina's Bangladesh Awami League, its coalition parties, including Jatio Party of late military ruler General Ershad, out of the process of formulating the July Charter.

The political parties have recommended several structural, legal and institutional changes to the current system of governance, namely the constitution, the electoral system, the judiciary, the public administration, the police system, and the system for curbing corruption.

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