Opposition whip and National Citizen Party convener Md Nahid Islam accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of turning the July National Charter into ‘an endless document of deception’ by attaching a formal note of dissent to its key provisions.

Speaking in the Jatiya Sangsad, Nahid alleged that just as the Awami League had previously politicised and distorted the country’s constitution by treating it as a party manifesto, the BNP had now done the same with the July National Charter.

He said that the charter, originating from the July mass uprising, represented a hard-earned national consensus, but had been tainted by dissenting notes that, in effect, allowed political parties to bypass the collective agreement.

According to him, major reform proposals in the charter now include provisions stating that any party could implement its own manifesto if elected with a public mandate.

‘If the winning party can simply implement its own manifesto, then what is the need for consensus or dialogue?’ he asked, arguing that such clauses undermine the very purpose of national unity in reform efforts.

He said his party had initially called for a new constitution or a complete rewrite, while the BNP prioritised coming to power through elections.

‘As a result, our paths have diverged from that point. We later moved towards a middle ground by agreeing on reforms through a consensus-based commission,’ Nahid said.

He said that a proposal had been made to establish a constitutional reform council through a referendum, but alleged that the BNP had since retreated from that position.

‘If they step back from that commitment, we too will have to return to our original demand for a new constitution,’ he warned.

Describing the July referendum as both a political decision and an expression of popular will, he emphasised that such a mandate must be respected by all stakeholders.

The opposition whip also launched a strong critique of the 1972 constitution, arguing that it concentrated excessive power in the hands of a single individual and laid the foundations for authoritarianism in Bangladesh.

He said his party had proposed forming a national government after the uprising, but the BNP rejected the idea.

‘The alternative would have been to hand over power to the army,’ he said, adding that such a move might have prevented the current parliamentary arrangement altogether.

While expressing respect for the 1971 war, he described the July uprising as a renewal of its ideals.

‘The War of Liberation is the foundation of Bangladesh, there can be no compromise on that,’ he said, adding that comparing historical events in terms of importance was unnecessary.