The National Consensus Commission would be able to reach some kind of consensus by mid-July, commission’s vice-chairman professor Ali Riaz hoped on Tuesday.
Speaking at the start of the eighth day of the second phase of discussions with political parties at the Doel Multipurpose Hall of the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka today, Ali Riaz said this.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to reach a common ground by the third week of July,” he said.
Today’s session was expected to discuss several unresolved topics from earlier meetings. Those included the formation of an appointment committee for constitutional and statutory bodies, the structure of a bicameral parliament, the election process for the upper house, and its roles and responsibilities.
A total of 30 political parties took part in today’s discussions with the National Consensus Commission.
Those included the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP), and the Islami Andolon, among others.
All the attendees stood in silence for one minute in remembrance of the martyrs of the July movement at the start of the session.
Reflecting on the events of the July mass uprising, Ali Riaz said, “A year ago, we united and took to the streets. Today, we are united once again, engaging in dialogue to bring about structural reform to the state.”
“Our aim is to build a state that is accountable, one where democratic rights are protected, and citizens are no longer subject to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, or political violence. This progress is thanks to your contribution, your activists, and the citizens of this country,” he stated.
He described the fall of the autocratic regime during the July uprising as a victory for the people, but warned that this victory must not be left unprotected. “It must be safeguarded,” he said. “And the way to do that is by moving forward with necessary reforms.”
Ali Riaz praised the commitment of those participating in the discussions, adding: “You have been cooperating sincerely because this responsibility belongs to all of us, you, me, all of us together.”
He reiterated his hope that with collective effort, a shared position could be reached. “Sometimes we make good progress in discussions; at other times we fall short and feel disappointed. Still, with everyone’s effort, I believe we can reach a consensus.”
Today’s session was moderated by Monir Haider, special assistant to the chief adviser.
Also present are commission members Badiul Alam Majumdar, justice Md. Emdadul Haque, Iftekharuzzaman, and Md. Ayub Miah.