A total of 25 political parties have signed the historic July National Charter at the National Parliament, signaling a new step toward national unity. However, several parties including NCP and left-wing groups abstained from the event. Dr. Muhammad Yunus and the Chief Adviser emphasized the charter’s global significance and its role in ensuring a fair election process.
The historic July National Charter was officially signed on Friday (October 17) at an elaborate ceremony held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. Representatives from 25 political parties and alliances took part in the signing event, marking a significant step toward national unity.
However, some parties were notably absent from the ceremony, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), the Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD), BASAD (Marxist), and Bangladesh JASAD. As a result, these parties have not yet signed the July Charter.
Speculation about the NCP’s participation had existed earlier. On Thursday, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam hinted that the party had not made a final decision. Later that night, in a press release, the NCP announced it would not participate in the signing ceremony. Meanwhile, the Left Alliance had already declared that they would not attend.
Following the ceremony, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed commented that “almost all major political parties have signed the July Charter. Those who haven’t yet, we hope they will join soon. The charter remains open for everyone.”
Earlier, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chair of the National Consensus Commission, arrived at the venue to inaugurate the event. The ceremony began with the national anthem, after which Dr. Yunus addressed the gathering, saying,“The July National Charter will stand as a unique example for the world.”
The Chief Adviser added,“Through this charter, we have struck a note of unity. With that unity, we will move forward to ensure a fair and credible election. Those who signed today can meet again to decide how to make the election truly democratic. There’s no benefit in holding an election without integrity.”