United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser and Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday stressed the urgency of accelerating reform efforts to ensure that the national election is held between December this year and June 2026. The Chief Adviser made the call during a meeting with Vice-Chairman of the Commission Professor Ali Riaz and member Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar at his official residence Jamuna in the evening. Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant (Consensus Building) Monir Haider was also present. Earlier, a media release issued by the Consensus Commission had mistakenly mentioned only the month of December. In fact, in the meeting, the Chief Adviser and Chairman of the National Consensus Commission stressed advancing the reform activities with the target of holding the national election between next December and June 2026. Artemis Accords commitment a step towards greater global integration: Dr Yunus During the meeting, Professor Ali Riaz and Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar briefed the Chief Adviser on the progress of the Commission’s activities. They informed him that separate discussions with political parties are going on regarding the recommendations made by various reform commissions. As of Saturday, talks with eight parties had been completed. A discussion with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is scheduled for Thursday. The Commission members added that various programmes were undertaken to assess public opinion on the reform process and raise public awareness.

The National Consensus Commission has received opinions from four more political parties regarding the reform recommendations. Earlier, seven political parties out of 38 ones submitted their complete opinions before the consensus commission within the stipulated timeframe of March 13. So, the consensus commission has received the opinions from a total of 11 political parties till Sunday, said a press release. Besides, 18 more political parties sought a few more days to place their opinions. The Consensus Commission is again contacting the remaining nine parties. Reform initiative completely a homegrown process: CA’s Press Secretary The commission, spearheaded by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, started its work on February 15, 2025. The commission identified the crucial recommendations made in the reports of five reform commissions – the constitution reform commission, the public administration reform commission, the electoral system reform commission, the judiciary reform commission and the ACC reform commission – to seek opinions from the political parties. Later, on March 6 last, the commission sent a set of recommendations in a spreadsheet format to the political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by March 13.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday advocated for holding the national election in the country once political parties reach a consensus on necessary reforms. Following a meeting with the National Consensus Commission, led by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher shared the party's stance. When asked if they had proposed any specific plans regarding the election, Taher responded, "We have stated that once there is a consensus among all parties on the necessary reforms, the election should be held as soon as possible. The Chief Adviser has mentioned that the national election will be held by December. We are monitoring how the process moves forward." Reforms first, free and fair election later: Jamaat Ameer Taher added that meetings had already taken place with political parties and stakeholders regarding the interim government's role, and separate discussions will take place to implement the reforms. "We welcome all positive decisions. Once the final recommendations from the reform commission are made, we will ensure the necessary preparations to hold the election promptly," Taher said. "After reviewing the reform proposals, separate discussions will be held with Jamaat-E-Islami and the government, where we will communicate our primary decisions," he said. Jamaat General Secretary Mia Golam Parwar and Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad were also present.

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said that efforts will be made to establish a consensus among political parties as swiftly as possible, aiming to move towards the national election. He made the remarks following a meeting of the National Consensus Commission, led by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, with all political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Ali Riaz said, "Today, on behalf of the National Consensus Commission, we sat with all political parties. Our objective was to formally initiate the commission's work. We had requested political parties to send their representatives so that they could not only familiarise themselves with one another but also express their respective views." He clarified that the meeting was not intended to serve as a dialogue but rather to discuss the framework of the commission's process. "In essence, we consider this meeting as an official inauguration. A total of 27 political parties were present today, with more than a hundred representatives from different parties and coalitions participating. Among them, 32 people spoke at the meeting," he added. As the head of the Constitutional Reform Commission, Riaz said that political parties have strongly emphasised that there is no alternative to national unity. “Perpetrators of July-August violence will be excluded from constitutional reform process”: Prof Ali Riaz "They have demonstrated their commitment to the reform process and have expressed their willingness to support, assist, and participate in the initiatives of the National Consensus Commission and the interim government," he said. He went on to say, "This strong stance taken by political parties substantiates the remarks of Chief Adviser and Commission Head Dr Muhammad Yunus, who has said that every political party, citizen, and section of society has a responsibility to ensure the smooth progress of the reform process." "With that objective in mind, today's meeting was convened. We are hopeful that the National Consensus Commission’s work will now commence. We will engage in separate discussions with political parties, as well as hold talks with alliances collectively. Eventually, we will reconvene everyone. We do not wish to prolong this process unnecessarily and expect to complete it within a short period. Political parties have been requested to submit hard copies of their reform reports, and we will take prompt action in this regard," he added. About concerns over delays, Riaz asserted that there was no hesitation among political parties in achieving consensus. "We are optimistic that we will be able to advance this process effectively." When asked about the estimated duration for concluding these discussions, he said, "The commission's tenure is six months. Our objective is to reach a consensus as soon as possible. However, since political parties will require time to review the reports of the six commissions, we aim to expedite the process while ensuring that reforms move forward and consensus is reached in preparation for the elections." In response to whether this will be accomplished within six months, he said, "We are hopeful that it can be completed in less than the stipulated time. Political parties have expressed interest, but this will not happen abruptly. We have received the reports, and the political parties will review them thoroughly. They must be given ample time. While this will require some time, we are committed to beginning the discussions and negotiations as soon as possible."