United News of Bangladesh

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Monday said only unity among all political forces, democratic actors and the mass people can steer the country towards a new Bangladesh by implementing public aspirations. “Only the reports, recommendations and opinions of the Reform Commissions are not enough; rather we can advance the country towards a new Bangladesh through the unity of all political forces, democratic forces, and the mass people,” he said while speaking at a dialogue with Gono Odhikar Parishad in the morning. A nine-member delegation of Gono Odhikar Parishad, led by its President Nurul Haque Nur, participated in the discussion started at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Presiding over the discussion, Prof Ali Riaz said they are working to realise the long-cherished democratic aspirations of the people of the country. “This discussion is a part of our collective effort to open the path for implementing the democratic aspirations the people of Bangladesh have been cherishing for 53 years, and to establish a democratic state,” he added. Rains likely across country, temperature may drop He urged all to come forward to materialise the possibility of reform that emerged after the July Mass Uprising. “The people of Bangladesh, under the leadership of the youths, have created a promising opportunity—let us all move forward together to make that a reality,” he said. Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider. On March 20 last, the Consensus Commission opened a series of talksi with political parties to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives. The commission has already held talks with 19 political parties, including BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP). 3 shops gutted in Mohammadpur fire Formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, the Commission was tasked with shaping a unified national stance on critical reforms.      

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Sunday stressed the need for the democratic forces to remain united to address the deep-rooted crisis Bangladesh has been facing for a long time. “There are attempts to address the deep-rooted crises Bangladesh has been facing for a long time. Implementing only the reports of reform commissions is not enough. What we need is to build a democratic state structure and practice democracy. And it is essential for the democratic forces to stay united,” he said while speaking at a dialogue with Ganasamhati Andolon in the morning. Whispers of Thunder: Unstable skies loom over Bangladesh A 10-member delegation of Ganasamhati Andolon, led by its Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, participated in the talks at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.  Presiding over the discussion, Prof Ali Riaz said the collective efforts of people compelled the fascist ruler to flee. “It’s now essential to uphold that unity and carry forward its spirit. This is not just our commitment—it is our obligation,” he said.  He recollected those who gave their lives, fought and were injured and killed in the July uprising and those who had fought against all kinds of oppression for the past 16 years before the uprising. “We owe a debt to all those who, over the past 53 years, have tried to establish a democratic, accountable and inclusive state in Bangladesh, and a state that ensures citizens’ rights,” he added. Terming the ongoing dialogue on reforms a step forward, Prof Riaz said they have been able to make progress at least to some extent. “But if we fail to uphold and carry forward it (this progress), all opportunities may slip away. To do so, it needs a collective effort.” He said they are making collective efforts to build Bangladesh as a democratic and accountable state for not only the present generation but also the future generations, and expressed the hope that a national charter can be prepared soon through the consensus of all political parties. Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider. Daughter of July Movement martyr ‘commits suicide’ after rape  On March 20 last, the Consensus Commission opened talks with political parties to forge a national consensus on state reform initiatives. The commission has already held talks with 17 political parties, including BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP). Formed on February 15, 2025, under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, the Commission was tasked with shaping a unified national stance on critical reforms.  

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said the scope for reform that has emerged must not be missed under any circumstances. “We are at a historic moment. We owe a debt to the brave martyrs who have created this opportunity for us. It must not be allowed to slip away,” he said. Prof Riaz made the remarks while delivering his introductory speech at the talks with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. He said this opportunity should be utilised to build a Bangladesh where no one will face oppression and no one has to deal with extrajudicial measures. Plot underway to foil election: Murad  Prof Riaz said they are keen to reach a national consensus quickly. “We will hold discussions and through dialogue, our goal is to move forward towards reaching a national charter,” he said. “We are all together in this process. We are making a collective effort. This is not an issue of any single political party. In fact, it is not just a matter of political parties—it concerns everyone. We are trying to reflect the aspirations of the nation,” he added. Mentioning that discussions will continue, if necessary, he said they all share the same goal. “We are trying together, and our collective success depends on our sincere joint efforts.” A 10-member Jamaat delegation, led by its Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, participated in the session. The discussion began at 10:30am with Prof Ali Riaz in the chair. Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Emdadul Haque, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider. Jamaat delegation members included its Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar, assistant secretaries general Rafiqul Islam Khan, AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad and Ehsanul Mahbub Jubair, and Jamaat Dhaka South City unit Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul. Rizvi demands action against ex-officials for aiding fascism, praises CEC’s election stance On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogue with political parties aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. The commission has already held talks with 15 political parties, including BNP and National Citizen Party (NCP). The commission, spearheaded by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms.  

Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Thursday blamed the erosion of democratic values for the rise of a fascist regime, urging unified efforts to restore true democracy.  “We witnessed the lack of democracy in the governance structure of Bangladesh for the past 53 years and the weakness of the institutions. This is why the fascist regime was established. So, the desire of political parties, civil society, students and people is to establish a democratic state,” he said. Prof Riaz said this while delivering his introductory speech at the talks with the Aam Janata Party held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex. He said now all aspire to establish a democratic state to prevent the recurrence of tragic experiences of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and repression. About the goal of the National Consensus Commission, its vice-chairman said they are working to create a national charter through discussions with everyone, which will be acceptable to all. “On the basis of it (national charter), the future roadmap of Bangladesh can be built," he said. Prof Ali Riaz said the National Consensus Commission is acting as a catalyst in everyone's efforts to build a roadmap for Bangladesh. Contractual appointments at top levels of administration raise concerns An 11-member delegation of the Aam Janata Party led by its president Moshiuzzaman and general secretary Tarique Rahman attended the dialogue at 10:30am with Prof Ali Riaz in the chair. Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider. Out of the 166 major recommendation points compiled by the Consensus Commission, the Aam Janata Party agreed on 138 recommendations, partially agreed on 15 ones and disagreed on the remaining 12 recommendation points. On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. The commission has already held talks with 14 political parties, including BNP and National Citizen Party (NCP). The commission formed under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms.

Stating that the nation is at a historic juncture, National Consensus Commission Vice-Chair Dr Ali Riaz on Tuesday said the ongoing talks between the BNP and the Commission are being conducted in line with directives from Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. National charter aimed at ensuring sustainable democracy: Ali Riaz “The Chief Adviser is being kept informed of the daily agenda. He is providing guidance, and the meetings are taking place based on his instructions,” Dr Riaz said while talking to reporters in the morning at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban ahead of a fresh round of talks with the BNP. The day marked the third round of talks between the National Consensus Commission and the BNP, aimed at reviewing the reform proposals submitted by five of the 11 national commissions formed by the interim government. “We are at a historic juncture. The proposals that have emerged will be further discussed with the relevant commissions. We also hope to wrap up this initial phase of discussions with the BNP today,” he told the journalists. New charter to fulfill public aspiration for reform: Prof Ali Riaz Ali Riaz said 35 political parties have submitted reform proposals, and the Commission has so far held meetings with 15 of them, including the BNP. The second phase of political consultations is expected to begin in May. The BNP delegation, led by Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, has held extensive meetings with the Consensus Commission on April17 and 20. The party had officially submitted its reform proposals on 23 March. Following the ousting of the Awami League-led government on August 5 last year, the interim administration formed 11 commissions in two phases to lay the groundwork for national reform. The Consensus Commission, spearheaded by Dr Yunus, began its activities on February 15, with the aim of forging national unity based on the recommendations of these commissions.  

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz  on Saturday said a national consensus could be reached in a short time through dialogue with all political parties. “There are disagreements and different views among political parties but many of them share common opinions. All voices will be heard, and I hope we would be able to reach a national consensus through talks,” he said at a meeting with the Khelafat Majlish at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad in the morning. National charter aimed at ensuring sustainable democracy: Ali Riaz Ali Riaz said, "As part of this process, you (Khelafat Majlish) are participating. We have started working in a very short time. We could not allocate much time, but based on the sincere opinions you have provided, we will begin our discussions." He added that the dialogue would not be limited to their party alone but would also include other political parties. The National Consensus Commission opened its dialogue with political parties, starting with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Thursday, aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. 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. New charter to fulfill public aspiration for reform: Prof Ali Riazi Later, the commisson sent a set of recommendations in a spreadsheet format to 38 political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by March 13. END/UNB/FH/SAM/1132 hrs  

Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Prof Ali Riaz on Saturday said everyone needs to work together to build a new Bangladesh so that the fascism and repressive systems canno return to Bangladesh. "Now our task is to work together to build a new Bangladesh, so that fascist rule does not return to Bangladesh, Bangladesh's democratic institutions take a permanent shape and the  rights of people are established. And so that we can eliminate disappearances, killings, extrajudicial killings and all forms of oppression,” he said. Prof Riaz said this while delivering his speech at the talks wiith the National Citizen Party (NCP) held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex. An eight-member NCP delegation led by its Convener Nahid Islam attended the dialogue at 10:30am with Prof Ali Riaz in the chair. The National Consensus Commission arranged the talks as part of a series of dialogues with political parties to reach a national consensus over the state reform initiatives taken by the interim government. Prof Riaz said the aspirations for democracy were repeatedly been undermined in Bangladesh. “We have witnessed how the victories achieved through democratic struggles have been trampled in various ways and how the state was brought under the control of one person and a system of governance was established,” he said. NCP delegation led by Nahid joins talks with Consensus Commission Noting that if necessary, discussions with political parties will continue, he said, "We want to prepare a national charter that reflects the aspirations of the nation," he said. Praising the NCP leaders for spearheading the July mass uprising, Prof Riaz said they fought fearlessly against prolonged fascist rule, risking your lives. Their comrades even sacrificed their lives to defeat a fascist regime, he said. “We are grateful to you. The nation will remember you as part of history. You have created a bright chapter in history,” said the Vice Chairman of the National Consensus Commission. Consensus Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar and Dr Iftekharuzzaman were present at the discussion moderated by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Monir Haider. On March 20 last, the National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. The commission has already held talks with 12 political parties. The commission formed under the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus aims to establish a unified stance on critical reforms. NCP urges sweeping state reform to prevent slide into autocracy Since its inception on February 15, 2025, the commission has been working to finalise recommendations for the state reform proposals. In the initial phase, key recommendations from five reform commissions — covering constitutional, public administration, electoral system, judiciary, and anti-corruption reforms — were compiled and shared with 39 political parties for their feedback. To date, 34 parties have responded. The National Consensus Commission is working to build national consensus over reform initiatives by mid-July next, by completing the first round of talks with political parties by the first week of May next and entering the second round of talks in the second week of May.

Creating a roadmap for the future of Bangladesh is one of the key objectives of the National Consensus Commission, said its Vice-Chairman Prof Ali Riaz on Tuesday. “This is the first time during the post-independence period that we’ve got an opportunity to create a way for state reforms. This has been possible due to the struggle of the mass people of this country,” he said while addressing a dialogue held between the Consensus Commission and Nagorik Oikya at the Jatiya Sangsad Complex. He said the tenure of the National Consensus Commission will expire on July 15 this year. “We aim to complete our work within this period. With continued discussions with all stakeholders, we hope to formulate a national charter.” Noting that an election will be held as part of this process, Prof Riaz said, “The Consensus Commission will play a role in ensuring that the next election is conducted smoothly.” South Korean investors plan big to invest in Bangladesh Commission members Safar Raj Hossain, Justice Emdadul Haque and Dr Iftekharuzzaman and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider were present. A Nagorik Oikya delegation, led by its presidium member Zillur Chowdhury Dipu, joined the talks. The commission has so far received reform opinions from 29 political parties and held talks with six political parties. Bikalpa Dhara and Gono Odhikar Parishad are expected to submit their respective opinions before the commission on Wednesday. The Consensus 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. Hasina’s extradition issue raised but nothing finalised: Foreign Adviser Later, the commission sent a set of recommendations in a spreadsheet format to 38 political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by March 13. The Consensus Commission started its dialogues with political parties on March 20 last and it has a plan to complete the first round of talks by the first week of May.

National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz on Saturday said a national consensus could be achieved quickly through dialogue involving all political parties. "There are disagreements and differences of opinion among political parties, but many share common views. All voices will be heard, and I hope we can reach a national consensus through dialogue," he said during a meeting with the Khelafat Majlish at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad in the morning. Ali Riaz said, "As part of this process, you (Khelafat Majlish) are participating. We have begun our work within a short time and could not allocate much time. However, based on the sincere opinions you have shared, we will proceed with our discussions." Consensus Commission to hold meetings with 4 political parties before Eid: Ali Riaz He said the dialogue would not be limited to their party alone as it would also include other political parties. The National Consensus Commission opened its dialogues with political parties, starting with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Thursday, aiming to build a national consensus on the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government. 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. Consensus on reforms expected on time:Ali Riaz Later, the commission sent a set of recommendations in a spreadsheet format to 38 political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by March 13.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed said on Thursday that his party agreed with 120 out of 166 proposals sent by the National Consensus Commission, which was formed for state reform. Speaking at a dialogue with the commission on Thursday at the LD Hall in the National Parliament Building area, Oli detailed the party’s stance on the proposals. He said out of the 166 proposals, LDP agreed with 120, disagreed with 42, partially agreed with two, and found two unclear. Consensus Commission starts dialogue with political parties On constitutional reforms, LDP agreed with 51 out of 61 proposals, disagreed with 16, partially agreed with one, and found two unclear. Regarding the judiciary, the party supported 22 out of 23 proposals and partially agreed with one. For anti-corruption measures, LDP backed all 20 proposals. However, in public administration, the party agreed with 11 out of 26 proposals and disagreed with 15. On electoral reforms, LDP supported 16 out of 27 proposals while opposing 11. Oli Ahmed criticised the Election Commission's recommendations, calling them weak. He pointed out that past recommendations from dialogues with political parties should have been compiled. "No matter what steps are taken, a fair election is impossible unless two key officials cooperate – the Officer-in-Charge (OC) and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO)," he said. The meeting was led by National Consensus Commission Vice President Professor Ali Riaz, along with members Safar Raj Hossain, Emdadul Haque, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider. Consensus Commission to hold meetings with 4 political parties before Eid: Ali Riaz LDP Secretary General Redwan Ahmed and eight other party members were also present at the time.