Consensus Commission is not imposing anything: Ali Riaz

Professor Dr Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission, has said that nothing is being imposed. Rather, some amendment proposals are being brought forward by accommodating the statements and aspirations of the political parties. He made these remarks in his opening speech at the second phase, the tenth day of discussions with political parties at the Doel Hall of the Foreign Se

Professor Dr Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission, has said that nothing is being imposed. Rather, some amendment proposals are being brought forward by accommodating the statements and aspirations of the political parties.

He made these remarks in his opening speech at the second phase, the tenth day of discussions with political parties at the Doel Hall of the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Monday at around 11:15am.

Dr Ali Riaz said that since most parties had objections regarding the National Constitutional Council (NCC), the Commission has proposed an alternative by bringing amendments. "The commission is keeping an eye out to ensure there is no misunderstanding. It is proceeding in alignment with everyone’s opinions. Many things have to be omitted."

He said that it is important to keep in mind the time constraints they have. He sought everyone’s cooperation to complete the work quickly.

Representatives from 30 political parties participated in Monday’s meeting with the National Consensus Commission, including BNP, Jamaat, NCP, LDP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gonosonghoti Andolon, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Revolutionary Workers Party, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), among others.

Members of the Consensus Commission present included – Safar Raj Hossain, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Md. Aiyub Miah, Justice Md Emdadul Haque, and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Monir Haidar.

Dr Ali Riaz also said all are unlikely to reach a consensus on every aspect of state reforms and mentioned that the commission is making sincere efforts to avoid any misunderstandings or confusion.

“We are striving to ensure that the proposals align with your (politicians’) views and aspirations,” said Dr Riaz.

Dr Ali Riaz clarified that the commission’s proposals do not require unanimous agreement. “I have repeatedly said, we will not agree on everything. When engaging separately with parties, I have made this clear from the commission’s side,” he said.

On the matter of core principles, he said: “There was initial objection to the inclusion of pluralism, so it was not included in the second revised version. Similarly, the proposal from the Public Administration Reform Commission to form four provinces did not achieve consensus at this stage, so it was left out of the discussion.”

Ali Riaz acknowledged that compromises had to be made. “We are proceeding by leaving out several issues because consensus cannot be reached on all of them. Still, we must focus on areas where agreement is possible,” he said.

He added that progress had been made on some topics, while others remained under discussion or yet to be addressed.

“Matters where preliminary consensus has already been reached have not been brought up today. While political positions may differ, there is a collective effort to find common ground. We are focusing on crucial issues and attempting to reach an agreement,” he stated.

Highlighting time constraints, Ali Riaz urged political parties to consider the importance of these discussions alongside their organisational commitments. “We had initially thought this would be the last meeting this week, allowing you to attend other engagements or informal consultations. But based on feedback from most parties, we will likely meet again once more this week,” he said.

Pointing at politicians, Dr Ali Riaz appealed for continued participation. “If you prioritise the commission’s meetings alongside your organisational activities, it will help us move forward.”

He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment, saying: “After our talks with you, the commission will sit to review how to revise proposals in line with your positions. We will keep up this effort wholeheartedly to avoid misunderstandings and ensure the proposals reflect your inputs and expectations.”