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Progress in talks not promising, some concerns about ‘July Charter’ in July: Ali Riaz
The progress of the talks with the political parties is not promising, said Professor Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission. He said, “We had dreamed that we would all sign the July Charter on the anniversary of Abu Saeed’s martyrdom. But how feasible that will be in reality depends on the political parties. We are a little worried that we will not get to that point.”
Progress in talks not promising, some concerns about ‘July Charter’ in July: Ali Riaz
Ali Riaz said these words at the beginning of the seventh day of the second round of talks between the National Consensus Commission and the political parties at the Doel Hall of the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Sunday.

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Progress in talks not promising, some concerns about ‘July Charter’ in July: Ali Riaz
Own Reporter
Dhaka
Updated: 29 June 2025, 13:24
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Professor Ali Riaz, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission. Photo: Dipu Malakar
Professor Ali Riaz, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, said that the progress in talks with political parties is not promising. He said, ‘We had a dream that we would all sign the July Charter on the anniversary of Abu Saeed’s martyrdom. But how much that will be possible in reality depends on the political parties. We are a little worried that we will not go there.’
Ali Riaz said these words at the beginning of the seventh day of the second round of the National Consensus Commission’s discussions with political parties at the Doel Hall of the Foreign Service Academy in the capital today, Sunday.
No new issues were put forward for today’s discussions. Discussions have resumed on some of the previous issues as there was no consensus.
The agenda for discussion includes the appointment committee of constitutional and statutory institutions, a bicameral parliament, the election process of the upper house, and the responsibilities and roles of the upper house.
Reminding the political parties of last July, Ali Riaz said, ‘We all remember the oppression we were under, the fascism we were under. Another July has come. Last July, we all did not raise the flag of our party. Rather, everyone raised the flag of the country. We all jumped into the bloody movement to get rid of fascism.’
Noting that the progress of the talks with the political parties was not promising, Ali Riaz said that this process must definitely reach a conclusion by July.
Ali Riaz emphasized on ensuring that no one can make constitutional reforms against the wishes of the people in the future. He said, this must be ensured constitutionally. There is a need to reduce the power of the individual. Because, ultimately, there is a fear of dictatorship in governance. They are not able to dispel this fear. These safeguards must be created constitutionally. Ensuring an independent judiciary is related to this.
Ali Riaz mentioned that progress is needed in the talks on reforms in the interest of the country. He said, ‘None of us want to go back to the previous situation. So, you should consider the matter in the interest of the country. How much of the commitment we made last July has been achieved? “Will we only seek the interests of the party and ourselves? Or will we also consider the interests of the country?”
