Dhaka, Mar 10 (V7N) – The National Consensus Commission has sent letters to 34 political parties, requesting their opinions on 166 reform recommendations, Vice-Chairman Dr. Ali Riaz announced at a press conference at the National Parliament Building on Monday.

The commission, led by Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has also shared full reports from six reform commissions covering various aspects of governance, including constitutional, electoral, judicial, public administration, police, and anti-corruption reforms.

Political parties and alliances have been asked to submit their opinions by March 13. Based on these responses, the Consensus Commission will initiate discussions with political parties to develop a National Charter through consensus.

Dr. Ali Riaz clarified that the Constituent Assembly and National Parliament elections could be held together, with the National Parliament functioning as the Constituent Assembly.

The recommendations are categorized as follows:

  • 70 on constitutional reform
  • 27 on electoral reform
  • 23 on judicial reform
  • 26 on public administration
  • 20 on the Anti-Corruption Commission

The Police Reform Commission has suggested that its recommendations can be implemented through administrative mechanisms.

Political parties have been asked to express their stance on each recommendation by choosing one of the following options:

  • Agree
  • Disagree
  • Partially Agree

Additionally, they must indicate their preferred timeline and method of implementation, selecting from six options:

  1. Ordinance before the election
  2. Referendum before the election
  3. Referendum during the election
  4. Implementation through the National Assembly
  5. Constitutional reform after the election
  6. Implementation through a dual-role Parliament (Constituent Assembly & Legislature)

A comment section has been provided for parties to share further feedback.

Dr. Ali Riaz emphasized that citizens will also have opportunities to provide input on key recommendations, ensuring broader public participation in the reform process.

He reiterated that state reform is a priority over immediate electoral concerns, but discussions will continue to align both agendas where necessary.

The Consensus Commission remains hopeful that through this structured consultation and dialogue, a comprehensive roadmap for national reform can be established.

END/MSS/AJ