National Consensus Commission
| জাতীয় ঐকমত্য কমিশন | |
Members of the National Consensus Commission at a general meeting. | |
| Reform Commission overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | February 13, 2025 |
| Dissolved | October 31, 2025[1] |
| Jurisdiction | Bangladesh |
| Headquarters | Block 01, MP Hostel, National Parliament, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Reform Commission executives |
|
| Key document | |
The National Consensus Commission (Bengali: জাতীয় ঐকমত্য কমিশন) was a seven-member body formed by the Interim Government of Bangladesh on 13 February 2025 to review and adopt the recommendations of six reform commissions.[2][3] The commission was chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and was tasked with fostering national consensus on key governance reforms.[4][5]
Members
The commission consists of seven members:[6]
| Name | Position in Government | Position in Commission |
|---|---|---|
| Muhammad Yunus | Chief Adviser | Chairperson |
| Ali Riaz | Head of Commission, Constitutional Reform Commission | Vice Chairperson |
| Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury | Head of Commission, Public Administration Reform Commission | Member |
| Safar Raj Hossain | Head of Commission, Police Reform Commission | Member |
| Badiul Alam Majumdar | Head of Commission, Electoral System Reform Commission | Member |
| Md. Emdadul Haque Azad | Member, Justice Division Reform Commission | Member |
| Iftekharuzzaman | Head of Commission, Anti Corruption Commission Reform Commission | Member |
Consensus
The commission identified several recommendations from six reform commissions as immediately actionable, to be implemented through legal or administrative means. It discussed 166 key proposals with political parties in the country.
In the first phase, the commission met separately with 33 political parties and alliances, and later it began issue-based discussions on 20 unresolved fundamental proposals. Consensus was reached on 62 issues, mainly from the Judicial Reform Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission, along with six from the Public Administration Reform Commission. The Constitutional Reform Commission submitted 18 proposals, including the formation of a bicameral parliament, which gained support from 30 parties but remained unresolved due to disagreement over its structure.
In the second phase, consensus was reached on 14 additional issues.[7]
Formulation of the July Charter
In the post July Revolution context, the seven-member National Consensus Commission, formed in February 2025, reviewed proposals from 11 reform commissions and conducted a 72-day dialogue in three phases with various political parties and stakeholders to develop a consensus-based framework for political and administrative reforms. Among the 166 issues raised in the first phase, consensus was reached on 64, which later formed the basis for the July Charter containing 28 commitments.[8][9][10]
The draft text was finalized on 28 July and sent to the political parties for feedback. After discussions on implementation procedures throughout August and September, the draft was finalized on 11 September, and the final copies were delivered to the parties between 14 and 15 October.[11][12][13]
The charter included commitments for reforms relating to state structure, democratic governance, administrative transparency, and citizen participation. On 17 October, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and representatives from 25 political parties signed the charter at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. Among the invitees, the National Citizen Party and some leftist parties refrained from signing.[14][15]
On the day of signing, clashes outside the Parliament complex and extensive international media coverage drew significant attention. In the aftermath of the signing, the commission considered the possibility of a referendum or alternative mechanisms to ensure the implementation of the charter.[16][17][18]
References
- ^ "National Consensus Commission wraps up amid fears of fresh rifts". bdnews24.com. 1 November 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ "July Charter: Consensus Commission seeks guarantee for implementation". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ "National Consensus Commission's tenure ends today". en.bd-pratidin.com. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Express, The Financial. "Yunus-led Consensus Commission formed for six months". The Financial Express. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
- ^ BSS (2025-07-21). "Political parties agree on most procedures of appointing CG's chief adviser: Ali Riaz". Prothomalo. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
- ^ "Seven-member National Consensus Commission formed, Prof Yunus made chair". The Business Standard. 2025-02-13. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
- ^ Reporter, Staff (31 July 2025). "Consensus not achieved on all fundamental reform proposals". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- ^ "Seven-member National Consensus Commission formed". The Business Standard. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "July National Charter to be signed Friday: What it includes". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 16 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "Seven commitments included in the draft of July Charter". Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 28 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ "Draft of July Charter delivered to political parties: Ali Riaz". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 29 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ "Further discussions held on implementation of July Charter". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 4 August 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ^ "Final version of July Charter sent to all parties". The Daily Star. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "Chief Adviser, political leaders sign July National Charter". Prothom Alo (EN). 17 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "July charter signed, NCP stays away". The Daily Star. 18 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "Clashes break out near Bangladesh parliament as major parties sign a roadmap for change". Associated Press. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh parties sign reform charter, but student and leftist group stays away". Reuters. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "Consensus commission considers referendum under special order to implement July Charter". Prothom Alo (EN). 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.