NCP Refuses to Accept July Charter Without Legal Guarantees

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 29th July 2025, 5:47 PM

NCP Refuses to Accept July Charter Without Legal Guarantees

The National Citizens’ Party (NCP) has firmly stated that it will not accept the proposed July Charter unless the points agreed upon during the national dialogue are implemented through a legal framework before the upcoming national elections.

This declaration was made on Tuesday (29 July) by NCP Joint Convenor Javed Rasin, during a break in the second phase of the 21-day national consensus dialogue, held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

“We have clearly said that whatever consensus has been reached must be legally enacted before the election. Only then can the next parliamentary polls be considered valid,” said Rasin.

NCP’s Position on the July Charter

Issue	NCP’s Concern
July Charter Draft	Released without prior discussion; NCP strongly opposes the unilateral approach.
Legal Framework	Demands legal backing for consensus points before the elections.
Implementation Mechanism	Criticises absence of dialogue on how the charter will be executed.
Decision-Making Process	Disagrees with skipping discussion on the six outlined methods of decision-making.

Rasin criticised the National Consensus Commission for publishing a draft of the July Charter without prior consultation:

“Despite listing six modes of decision-making, the commission abruptly released the draft without discussing them. This is unacceptable. There has been no dialogue on how the charter will be implemented. We oppose this unilateral move.”

Ranked Choice Voting Proposal

Rasin revealed that discussions have recently centred around a “Ranked Choice” system for the interim caretaker government. A new proposal suggests forming a seven-member committee, with two additional members nominated from the judiciary, who would participate in the voting process.

“We have agreed to this proposal. Nearly all political parties support it, except for the BNP and a few of its allies,” he added.

Fundamental Reforms and the NCP’s Final Decision

Rasin stressed that the NCP’s endorsement of the July Charter hinges on the implementation of core reforms. These are reforms the party believes are essential to dismantle the current fascist structure of governance.

“If these fundamental changes are not made, we will decide within our party forum whether to sign the July Charter or not. Our position is clear—consensus must be reached through proper dialogue. We will not accept any unilateral impositions.”

The NCP’s stance adds further pressure on the ongoing consensus-building process, signalling the importance of inclusive dialogue and legally enforceable outcomes before moving forward with the electoral process.